Innocent Until Proven Guilty
by 14hpgirl19
Summary: AU. Emily Prentiss' life is turned upside down when it seems like Hotch is responsible for murdering a man. Now he's on the run, and the team is trying to find him. He couldn't be a killer, could he? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I've always been fascinated with plot lines involving Hotch as a fugitive. That's why I wrote this. But it turned into something much different than what I thought it was going to be. It may be kinda confusing, but I hope you enjoy it!**

**This takes place after "100" but before the Ian Doyle plot line.**

She didn't know how it happened.

It started out as a normal Tuesday. Emily woke up early to go for a little jog, then returned to her apartment to take a shower. She fed Sergio after getting dressed, ate a quick breakfast, and hurried out the door. Within twenty minutes she was entering the BAU.

Garcia said hi as she was walking back to her lair, and Emily greeted Reid when he fell into step with her, coffee mug in hand. She could see Rossi and Hotch through the blinds of their respective offices, and Morgan arrived a few minutes later. JJ even stopped by the bullpen to say good morning.

Yes, it was a normal day. Nothing was out of place. That was why Emily was so confused with the turn of events. How could a day so typical change in a matter of moments?

Around lunch time, Garcia begged everyone to go out for food. Morgan agreed right away, and Emily right after. She was always up for spending time with the team, especially if someone else paid. Reid nodded after a moment, and JJ accepted the offer. Rossi was waiting for a call from his publisher, so he couldn't come. And no matter how much they prodded, Hotch politely refused.

Every time he turned offers like that down, Emily's heart sunk. She knew what he was doing. She had seen the signs. He was retreating even further into his depression, the darkness that had begun to consume him after Haley died.

Emily had tried to help him, to ease the pain. She hated seeing him so broken, and she wanted to help. Originally she thought it was because he was her friend, and friends didn't let friends fall apart. However, it didn't take her long to see what it really was about.

She was in love with him.

She didn't know when she fell, but she had. Hard. With her boss. Her very handsome, responsible, strong boss.

Ever since that realization, Emily kicked up her efforts to help him only to be rejected. He turned down her offers to babysit Jack or help out with paperwork. Any shreds of hope she had for him returning her feelings were crushed, and she herself retreated into sadness. She did what she always had done: Compartmentalize.

Still, she didn't stop praying that Hotch would snap out of his funk and return to the man she knew. He was still in there somewhere, he just needed to be found.

On that particular Tuesday, Hotch and Rossi stayed at the office while everyone else when out for lunch. They were gone for forty-five minutes, and when they returned, Hotch's office was empty.

They almost didn't notice. The blinds were drawn and the door was shut. They found out he wasn't there when Reid knocked on the door because he had a question for Hotch. He stood there for a moment before turning the knob slowly. A look of utter confusion crossed his face, and he stuck his head back out.

"Where's Hotch?" he asked.

"What, he's not in there?" Morgan asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No."

"Maybe he had an emergency meeting with Strauss," Emily suggested. Reid just shrugged and returned to his desk. Within a minute they were all working silently again.

However, as the minutes ticked by, Emily became more and more nervous. She kept glancing up at Hotch's office as if he would magically appear in the window. She told herself over and over that it was nothing, and he was fine.

Those thoughts were thrown out the window when Rossi came out and asked where Hotch was.

"You don't know?" Morgan asked, looking a bit worried. Emily licked her lips. If anyone was to know where their Unit Chief was, it was Rossi.

They asked JJ, and she said she had no clue. On their way to Garcia's office, they passed Strauss. She told them she hadn't seen Hotch since yesterday.

The entire team, minus Hotch, gathered in Garcia's office, frowns on all of their faces.

"So, he just disappeared?" Garcia asked slowly.

"He didn't disappear," Rossi answered firmly. "He probably just had to step out for a bit."

"Maybe something with Jack came up," JJ offered,

"We're making a much bigger deal out of this than we should," Rossi said. "Hotch can take care of himself."

"Still," Emily said quietly, "It's odd that he didn't tell anyone where he was going."

Any further thoughts were interrupted when everyone's cell phones rang. Apparently there was a body found a few blocks away, and the amount of injuries on the victim frightened the police department.

Even though they all wanted to find Hotch, they needed to work. JJ, Reid, and Garcia remained at the BAU while Morgan, Rossi, and Emily drove to the crime scene. The victim appeared to have been beaten to death, so much so that their face was unrecognizable. They would need to rely on finger prints for an ID.

Emily was walking the perimeter when she found it. Lying on the ground near a bush was a leather square. Picking it up, she quickly figured out what it was.

FBI credentials for one Aaron Hotchner.

Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Emily called out to Rossi and Morgan. They were as confused as she was.

"What would his badge be doing here?" Morgan asked, shaking his head. "This is crazy."

With a shaking hand, Emily pulled out her cell phone and called Garcia. "I need you to track Hotch's phone."

"What? Why?" the technical analyst asked worriedly.

"Just trace it," Emily said forcefully.

She heard the clicking of computer keys as Garcia ran the number. A moment later she sighed.

"It's off. I can't find the location."

Emily exhaled loudly and hung up. She repeated the information to Morgan and Rossi, and Rossi patted her on the back consolingly.

"It's nothing. He's all right."

"But why are his credentials here?" Emily asked, staring at the badge in Morgan's hand.

No one had an answer, so they reported back to the BAU. When they stepped off the elevator Garcia, JJ, and Reid were waiting for them.

"Why did I have to trace Hotch's number?" Garcia demanded.

Rossi calmly filled them in on what they had found. Their eyes widened, and Garcia's mouth fell open.

"How did his badge end up at a crime scene?" Reid asked in confusion.

"We don't know," Rossi answered.

"Maybe we should check out his apartment," Morgan suggested.

Emily was about to volunteer when Strauss walked up. The look on her face told the team she didn't have good news.

"DC police found an eyewitness claiming they saw the UnSub leave the crime scene. They described him as a white male, over six feet tall with dark hair. Looks to be in his late forties."

The team exchanged looks, their stomachs twisting. To make everything worse, Hotch's badge fell out of Morgan's pocket at that moment. Strauss raised her eyebrows as she knelt to the ground to pick it up.

"Agent Morgan," she said slowly, "Why do you have Agent Hotchner's credentials?"

Morgan remained silent, staring at the floor in front of him. Strauss asked again.

"Erin," Rossi said softly. "Don't go there."

Strauss frowned. "He fits the description." She looked around at the team and took in their worried expressions. "I want him in here. Now."

"You can't think he did this," Morgan objected.

"It doesn't look to be in his favor," she replied. "Get him to come in." She strode away before anyone could say anything else.

Emily felt lightheaded. Her chest began to constrict, and her vision became blurry. She could barely make out Rossi's voice."

"Go home, Emily," he said gently. She shook her head slightly to clear her whirling thoughts.

"I can't," she said. "We need to find the son of a bitch who did this."

"You're not in the right frame of mind."

"We need to help Hotch!"

Rossi sighed, then nodded. "I know. That's what we're going to do. And you can help us by stopping by his apartment on your way home."

Emily opened her mouth to argue, but he shook his head. Sighing, she turned back to the elevators and made her way to her car.

It didn't take her long to reach Hotch's apartment building. Leave it to him to move close to work. After a moment of searching her bag, she found the spare key he had given her a few months back. It was important that they all had ways of reaching one another in case of an emergency.

Before using the key, Emily knocked on the door and waited to see if he was home. She prayed he was, but as the seconds passed without any response, her spirits were crushed.

Turning the silver key in the lock, she held her breath as she inched the door open. The apartment before her was dark and silent.

"Hotch?" she called. "Are you here?"

Not a sound.

Stepping farther in, she closed the door behind her and crept inside. Nothing looked out of place. In fact, it looked spotless. Pillows were arranged nicely on the couch. Placemats sat on the table, ready to be used. The kitchen counters were clear of any stains.

She walked through the entire apartment to the same results. Everything looked normal. It was like Hotch had simply left for the day.

And maybe he had. Just because they found his badge, his phone was off, and the witness account matched him to a T didn't mean he had done anything.

_He's innocent, _she thought to herself. _He has to be_.

She jumped when she heard a recorded voice shatter the quiet. It took her a second to realize it was the answering machine. After the beep a woman's voice began to talk.

"Aaron? It's me, Jessica. Look, I know I upset you the other night, but you have to understand where I'm coming from. Jack needs a stable household, and if you can't give that to him, then I will." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you want, but if you want to keep Jack, you need to get your act together. I'm… I'm really sorry, Aaron."

Another beep told Emily the messaged was done. Sinking onto the couch, she closed her eyes, trying to get her thoughts in order.

Jessica was threatening to take Jack away. She'd already given Hotch an ultimatum. He knew his time with his son was running out, so what did he do?

_Don't go there, Emily, _she thought, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get those words to go away.

_His stressor. _Something like the possibility of losing his son could have sent him over the edge he'd been standing on for a while.

Emily's head was spinning way too much for her liking, and she slumped over, lying on the couch. She squeezed her eyes shut even harder, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare.

Her cell phone ringing caused her eyes to fly open. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered without checking caller ID.

"He's not here," she whispered.

"I know," a familiar voice said. Emily sat up straight.

"Hotch," she breathed.

"Hello, Emily."

Normally the sound of him calling her by her first name would have made her giddy, but now wasn't the time for that.

"What… What's going on, Hotch? Where are you? Why were your credentials at a crime scene?"

"I can't explain," he said. "I don't have time." She could hear the sound of tires squealing on pavement in the background.

"Yes, you do," she said hurriedly. She stood up abruptly and paced the living room. "I can help you. The team can help you."

"I don't want you to be involved. It's too risky." He took a shuddering breath. "I messed up, Emily."

Again with the first name. "How?"

"It's not what you think. Really. I know it may not seem that way, but you have to understand that I did nothing."

Emily's mind flashed back to the crime scene that afternoon. "I want to believe you, but you're not telling me anything!"

"Can't you try to believe the man you love?"

She froze dead in her tracks. For a second all she could hear was Hotch's heavy breathing.

"What… What makes you think…"

"You're the one at my apartment looking for me. Just like after Foyet… Happened."

"Any of us would have come," she tried, listening for any sounds that could tip off where he was.

"Yes, but you're the one Dave sent home because you couldn't focus. Why's that?"

"How did you know that?" she asked sharply.

"That's not important."

"Neither are my feelings."

"So you admit you have them?"

Cursing under her breath, she walked over to the window and pulled back the blinds. Nothing. "You're not going to use those against me."

"Against you? Why would I do that?"

"To get me on your side," she hissed.

He paused briefly. "I had hoped you were already there. Emily, please. Try to understand."

"Why don't you explain?"

He sighed. "I can't."

"Then why did you call me?"

"I just… I needed someone to know that I'm okay and I didn't do what you think I did."

In that moment, Hotch sounded so alone. Emily dropped back onto the couch and rubbed her temple with her free hand.

"I don't think you killed that man, Hotch," she said softly. He sighed in relief.

"Thank you."

She bit her lip. "Please come home Hotch. We can help you with whatever is going on, you know that."

"I do. But this isn't your fight."

"I'll make it mine!" she cried, fighting tears. "Anything that hurts you is my fight."

"I knew you loved me." It almost sounded like he was smiling.

Choking back a sob, she whispered, "Come home."

On the other end, she could hear Hotch swear under his breath. "I have to go."

"Hotch, I'm begging you-"

"Don't believe anything you read about me," he said desperately. "Don't think any different of me."

"Don't."

"I'm so sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Aaron!" she cried. That got him to shut up.

"Emily…"

He sounded so resigned to his fate, like he knew what was coming for him. It terrified her, but she knew there was no convincing him.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked.

He hesitated. "I don't know."

She wiped away a stay tear that slipped down her face. "Then you need to hear me say it. Even if you don't feel the same way, I need you to hear it."

"Emily, I know. You don't have to say it."

"Yes, I do!"

"Emily, I love-"

His words were drowned out by a loud crashing noise. The sound of metal slamming into something unidentifiable roared in her ears before the line went dead.

"I love you, too," she whispered, clutching the phone tightly. "I always will."

**Believe it or not, that's not the end of this weird little universe. I have some ideas to continue, but only if people want me to. If you do, let me know! I'd love to hear from you! If enough people want me to, I'll add other one-shots to this story.**

**And if you haven't checked it out already, the nominating period for the Profiler's Choice awards on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner is coming to an end soon! You guys should definitely check it out and nominate your favorite stories! =)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow. This has turned into something VERY different than what I had planned. A very big thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed this little story. I really appreciate it! =)**

Three Months Later

Monday morning Emily stepped off the elevator and walked into the BAU, suppressing a yawn. Having the weekend off hadn't done anything in terms of fixing her fatigue. She still couldn't sleep without nightmares, and she spent the better part of her weekend staring at case files.

Either way, she was exhausted. As soon as she passed through the glass doors, she made a beeline to the coffee machine in the break area. Reid was already there of course.

"Morning," she mumbled, pulling out a mug. Reid gave her a small smile.

"You look tired."

She let out a dry chuckle. "Do I? Wouldn't have guessed."

Reid frowned. "When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?"

"Not too long ago…" she started to say, but Reid's look stopped her. "Not since… You know."

A look of understanding crossed his face, and he nodded. "I don't think anyone has," he admitted.

"I can't stop looking at the files," Emily sighed. "I keep hoping there was something we missed, something that could help us."

"We all do," Reid said as he sat down at his desk. "We've all tried."

"All tried what?" a kind voice said. JJ walked into the bullpen with a file in her hand.

"Looking at some files," Reid said simply. JJ furrowed her eyebrows.

"Any files in particular?"

"You know which ones," Emily said, picking her finger nail. JJ's shoulders sagged slightly, then straightened a second later.

"That's actually why I'm here," she said quietly, glancing around the busy bullpen. She tightened her grip on the folder in her hand. "Where's Morgan?"

Emily and Reid exchanged looks before nodding up to the office at the top of the stairs. It had been someone else's office for a long time, but recent events led to it being vacated. Morgan, being their new Unit Chief, was forced to take it after Strauss put her foot down. She wanted every memory of its previous occupant gone.

As JJ hurried up the stairs, Emily spun around to face Reid. "What do you think this means?"

"I don't know," he replied, watching JJ disappear into the office.

"Do you think she found him?"

Reid looked at her. "Emily, we don't even know if there's someone to find."

Emily bit her lip and forced herself to go back to work. She knew that, but she never truly gave up hope. She refused to, and she only would if she saw his body herself.

Three months ago, the day after Hotch disappeared, there was news of a car crash off the highway leading out of Virginia. It appeared that the car had been run off the road and smashed into a tree. The damage done to the car was incredible, and the police could only use the back plate to track the car's owner: Aaron Hotchner.

There was no body pulled from the remains, and the police began to investigate, though they weren't interested in seeing who ran the car off the road. They just wanted to find Hotch. At first the BAU didn't know why, but they quickly found out. Hotch's DNA had been found at the crime scene from the day before, and he was their prime suspect.

The team believed in his innocence, but no one else did. The evidence against their Unit Chief began to stack up against him, and the BAU was forbidden from working the case. DC police offered a reward for anyone who had information on Hotch, and Strauss was more than happy to provide Hotch's personnel files.

However, as the weeks ticked by, other cases required DCPD's attention, and they let the case drop. They assumed Hotch was their culprit and left out a BOLO in case he resurfaced. Other petty crimes that had a connection to the first murder were linked to Hotch, and the FBI terminated his agent-status. As far as they were concerned, he was a wanted criminal. Jessica became Jack's official guardian.

The team was put under surveillance, and they were forced to undergo psych evaluations. The brass wanted to make sure they weren't in cahoots with their Unit Chief. After a few weeks, they all passed with flying colors, and they were allowed back in the field. To everyone else, they were a team of profilers who had suffered a terrible loss and were trying to move on.

In secret, however, they continued to investigate Hotch's disappearance. They refused to let the situation drop, and they were determined to prove his innocence.

Only a few days after the team returned to being unsupervised, Garcia dug (unwillingly) through Hotch's phone and credit card records. Aside from making several calls to team members and Jessica Brooks, there was nothing strange with the phone records. However, Garcia found several instances when Hotch used his credit card at a gas station far away from his house. Normally this wouldn't have raised any eyebrows, but the team knew Hotch, and he wouldn't go to get gas that far from his apartment.

Morgan and Emily drove over there one day and found a seedy bar across the street. After prodding the owner, he admitted Hotch came in there a lot in the weeks leading up to his disappearance. What he did there, they didn't know. The owner wouldn't say.

That wasn't enough for the team. Garcia's digging told them he used the gas station on weekends he was in town, so the next weekend they had the opportunity, Rossi and Reid went to that bar. At first there was nothing out of the ordinary, but when Rossi heard laughter coming from a back room, he was able to put the pieces together: Card games.

The owner was still reluctant to give them information, but Rossi had pulled out his badge, and they got the full story. On weekends men came in and played poker. They bet money, and at times the games could get very serious. Hotch never participated in the games, just stayed out front with his drink. However, one night, he had to. The group was missing a player, and because they always saw Hotch alone, they dragged him in.

At first he tried to say no, but the leader of the group, Damian Finch, forced Hotch to play. The owner didn't say how, but Rossi knew it was of violent means.

As the night wore on, Hotch won countless rounds thanks to his skills and unbreakable poker face. When he tried to leave, Finch blocked his way.

"Finch hates losing," the owner said wearily. "Your friend was too good."

Things got worse when they discovered Hotch was an FBI agent. The owner said a fight almost broke out, but he stopped them before it escalated.

Garcia looked up Damian Finch and discovered that he had a history of arrests due to battery and theft. One more crime and he would be put away for a long time.

The man who was killed the day Hotch disappeared was Finch's right-hand man, Carl Henderson.

"He wants to take Hotch out," Rossi announced. The team looked troubled.

"Then let's bring him in," Morgan said angrily.

"We can't," JJ replied. "We're not even supposed to be working this case, and we don't have a legitimate reason for arresting him."

"What we can do," Rossi said, "Is keep an eye on Finch and his buddies. If they try to track down Hotch or frame him again, we'll know."

"Do we even know if he will look for Hotch?" Reid asked.

"He will," Rossi answered firmly. "Finch is a narcissist, and Hotch beat him. He'll have to find him."

And so the team was forced to pretend like nothing was wrong while everyone around them assumed Hotch was guilty. They couldn't bring the real criminal in, but they never gave up hope. They continued to look for their friend using every available means without getting caught.

Out of everyone, Emily was the one who searched the most. Hotch's last words to her were a profession of love, and she would be damned if she couldn't say it to him herself. The man she loved needed her, and she would sooner die than give up.

That was why her heart sped up when JJ said she may have something. Emily was tired of reading the same things over and over. They needed something new.

A few minutes after JJ entered Morgan's office, the two of them came out. They looked at Emily and Reid, who had both looked up as soon as the door opened. Morgan walked over to Rossi's door and knocked. When it opened, he said, "Garcia's office. JJ's found something."

No one needed to be told twice, and they hurried out of the bullpen as fast as they could without drawing attention.

Once they were all gather, JJ spoke. "In Sand Lake, New York, there was a fire at the local school. Most of the students were evacuated quickly, but there were two kids stuck in a supply closet. Apparently they were getting printer paper for the library.

"The fire department was trying to think of a way to save them when a dark-haired man just ran straight in. He managed to get the kids out before things got out of hand."

"No one knows who this guy is," Morgan said. "No one's ever seen him around town before, but they think he's someone who's moved into a cabin nearby the lake."

"He's been described as being over six feet tall, white in his late forties," JJ continued. "The cabin he lives in was sold about two months ago, which is how long they assume he's been there."

The team was silent for a long time. They didn't want to get their hopes up, but…

"Hotch once ran into a burning building," Reid said quietly.

"Do you really think it could be him?" Garcia whispered.

"It's the best we've got right now," Morgan said.

"Doesn't his brother live in New York?" Rossi asked. Morgan nodded.

"It certainly seems like him," Emily said hopefully.

"How do we know for sure?" Reid asked.

"Someone could go to Sand Lake for a visit," Emily suggested.

Morgan looked at her. "Em, we don't even know if it's him."

"Then we go to find out! We won't know if we don't." She looked around at everyone. "I'll go by myself so no one suspects anything."

"Look, Emily," Morgan said. "We know how you feel about Hotch. You want nothing more than to think he's okay. We do too. But we can't just run blindly into something like this."

"We don't want you to get your hopes up only to be crushed," Rossi put in.

Emily shook her head. "I don't care. I'll go crazy if I don't find out, and I know all of you will too. We're a family, and Hotch is a part of that." She looked around at everyone. "I need to know. Just let me go up for one weekend. If it's not him, alright. Fine. We keep looking. If it is, we bring a friend home. I think that's too good to pass up."

Everyone was silent for a moment as they weighed each choice. They wanted nothing more than to bring Hotch home, and it really looked like this guy could be him.

"You'll be careful?" Morgan asked, locking gazes with Emily. She nodded.

"I'll call when I get there, when I've seen him, and when I leave."

Morgan sighed. "Baby Girl, can you get Emily a plane ticket?"

"I can get her a place to stay too in a few moments," Garcia said, a smile spreading across her face. She spun around to face her computers and began tapping away.

Morgan turned to Emily. "One weekend. That's it. You're home Sunday night."

"Got it," Emily said, hardly daring to believe her luck. "And if it is him?"

Morgan allowed a small smile to appear. "Then you bring him home."

* * *

Emily could barely focus all week. The prospect of possibly seeing Hotch was making her nervous and excited. For the first time in weeks she managed to sleep through the night.

JJ made sure they weren't called away on a case before the weekend. Thankfully no one desperately needed their help at the moment.

Friday afternoon, Rossi drove Emily to the airport. The team wanted to come as well, but they figured it would draw too much attention if they all went to see her off.

All he said to her as she got out of the car was, "Be careful, kiddo."

"I will," she promised.

Now she was flying to New York, and she felt nauseous. What if it wasn't him? What if it was and he didn't want to come home? What if Finch's goons already found him and killed him? What if…

The plane touched down only an hour or so later, and Emily forced her fears into little boxes. Now wasn't the time to think of things like that.

She rented a car at the airport and checked into her hotel room. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly eight o'clock. It was too late to head to the cabin. Sighing, Emily flopped on the bed and turned on the TV, though she absorbed none of it. Her mind was too preoccupied.

Somewhere between then and six-thirty she fell asleep on top of the blankets. After stretching her arms and legs, she took a warm shower and changed into jeans, a red long-sleeve shirt, and a fleece jacket. It was chilly in the early morning.

While she was eating breakfast Morgan called to check on her. She rolled her eyes before telling him everything was okay, and she was going to the cabin after she ate.

And she was. She followed the directions Garcia gave her the day before, driving further into the small town. It was very pretty, though the landscape did little to calm her down.

When she found the small cabin, she didn't leave the car for several minutes. She reread the address multiple times to confirm it was the right one. Once she was sure, the struggled to gather the courage to get out. Her fears were bubbling up again, and it was getting harder to put them away.

Finally she replayed Hotch's last words in her head, and that caused her to open the door and climb out. A few steps later and she was standing in front of the wooden door. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

There was no response of a moment, and Emily's heart sunk. She knocked again with more desperation, but when there was silence she took a step back. She was about to turn back to the car when the door swung open.

A rough beard covered the lower half of this face, but there was no denying those brown eyes.

"Hotch?"

**OOOOO. I hope you liked that! More to come soon! =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my wonderful readers!**

**I am so so so sorry about the wait for this chapter! Real life got in the way to the point where I almost wasn't able to watch Criminal Minds, let alone write it. I can't make any promises about when the next chapter will be up, but I hope that it's soon.**

**Let me also say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to anyone who nominated BAU High School for a Profiler's Choice Award! I never thought it would get this kind of reception, but it's nominated for Best Alternate Universe. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have an idea for another tie in one-shot for that, so be on the look out. =)**

**One more thing: I realized I screwed up my time lines for this story. Last chapter Reid mentioned how Hotch once ran into a burning building. That was in season 6, "Devil's Night." By this time in the show, JJ was gone. I just decided that because it's an alternate universe, she didn't leave the BAU. Also, Rossi and Hotch were Jack's soccer coach way before they were in the show (you'll understand later).**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter and let me know what you thought at the end! =)**

"Hotch?"

He frowned in confusion for a moment before his eyes widened. He quickly glanced around to see if she was alone before dragging her inside. She had barely stumbled over the threshold when he slammed the door behind her and locked it.

Emily let her eyes adjust before looking around. She was standing in a living room with a worn couch, small coffee table, and a floor lamp. A hallway led off to the right at the back of the room, and she knew it led to his bedroom. To the left was a kitchen complete with a table, stove, cabinets, and refrigerator. A chipped countertop surrounded that area. A bay window across from where she was standing provided a view of the lake behind the cabin, though she could only see half of it through the blinds.

Turning back around, she saw that Hotch was watching her closely. He leaned against the door and tilted his head to the side.

"I don't believe it," he said. Emily's heart thumped faster at the sound of his voice. She'd missed it.

"_I _don't believe it," she said quietly. "I can't believe I found you, Hotch."

"You weren't supposed to."

Emily blinked and took a step back. "Excuse me?"

"I left for a reason, Emily. It wasn't safe for me anymore."

"Why didn't you tell us? The team, I mean. We would have done _anything _to keep you safe." She stepped closer. "We still would."

Hotch shook his head. "Go home."

"What?"

"I said, _go home._" His voice hardened into the Unit Chief voice she knew all too well.

She stood up straight and stared at him. "You're not the boss of me, _sir. _I came here on my own, and I'm going to do what I came here to do."

"If you came to bring me home you might as well give up now," he spat. He pushed past her and stomped into the kitchen. Emily followed.

"When have you known me to give up?" His back was to her as he gripped the edge of the countertop, and Emily knew she had to try another tactic.

Sliding out one of the chairs at the table, she sat down and took a deep breath. "Alright. I understand why you don't want to come home. I know about Damian Finch."

Hotch's shoulders tensed, and he turned his head to the side a bit. "You don't know any of it."

"Then explain it to me!" she snapped. "I think you owe me that! I was the last person you talked to before everything fell to shit. I had to tell the team what I heard. I had to put up with their endless questions and their tears and their devestated looks." She paused. "I had to hear what I thought was the death of the man I love."

It'd been months, so she didn't even know if he still felt the same way. But if he did, that could be her way in.

Hotch remained silent, and Emily could feel her heart breaking with every second that passed. Shaking her head, she said, "Jack's doing great, you know. Jessica makes sure we see him because she knows that's what you would have wanted. She regrets threatening to take him away from you. He loves seeing his aunts and uncles when she brings him by." She licked her lips nervously. "He really misses you. He doesn't understand why you're not there, and he certainly doesn't understand what they're saying about you. I suppose that's better. He doesn't need to know. You're still his hero."

"Enough!" he yelled, leaning over the countertop. Emily jumped. Silence fell over the cabin again for a moment before she heard it. She'd only heard it once before, but that was enough for it to be permanently etched into her brain. It was so heartbreaking to hear the sobs fill the room.

Hesitantly, she stood up and crept over to him. His shoulders shook as she wrapped his arms around his torso. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his shoulder and just held him.

She was expecting him to push her away, to order her to leave. She was not expecting him to turn in her arms and pull her close. His chin sat on her shoulder as he allowed himself to break down completely.

She was surprised to say the least, but she just held him tighter. These last few months for him must have been hell. All alone in a new place, not knowing whether his family was okay, whether his son was okay. It took a lot to break Aaron Hotchner, and this had.

Emily guided him over to the couch on the other side of the room. As soon as she sat him down, he pulled himself out of his grasp and leaned up against the back of the couch. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, wiping away the tears. Taking a deep breath, he let his hands drop onto his lap, and Emily resisted the urge to hold one.

"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. He cleared his throat. "You shouldn't have to comfort me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," she said. "But it's okay to break down and cry sometimes, especially after what you've been going through." She hesitated for a moment. "What have you been going through?" When Hotch closed his eyes she leaned forward and laid her hand over his. "_Please _tell me Hotch. I won't say anything. I'll just listen."

He bit his lip as he thought it over. Looking at Emily, he sighed.

"Will you tell me what's happened since I left? About the team and… And Jack?"

"Of course. After you explain."

Hotch was silent for a long time, and after a while Emily was afraid he'd lost the courage to tell her. She was about to say something when he cleared his throat.

"After Haley died, I was in a bad place. I didn't know if I had would it takes to raise my son, and I was afraid of… I guess I was afraid of messing Jack up in some way. Of screwing up what Haley had managed to do.

"That fear was what kept me from reaching out to anyone. I know that's not a good reason, but I didn't want to seem weak. I just tried to go on myself."

He paused for a second and rubbed his eyes again.

"Eventually Jessica saw I was struggling and started to take Jack more often. On those nights, I drove to an old bar I once went to with my brother when he was in town. That was my place to relax and unwind. I know it wasn't the best place in town, but no one bothered me. At least until…"

"Finch," Emily said softly.

"I should have left," he whispered. "I should have gone home and fought for my son. That was the day Jessica really threatened to take Jack out of my custody. After she left, I sat there for who knows how long. And instead of going to get my son, I went to a bar." He let out a bitter laugh. "Maybe Jack's better off without me."

"Don't say that," Emily said immediately. "You're his father. He still needs you. Now go on with your story."

Hotch shrugged. "I bet you know the whole story. Finch saw me, needed another person for the game, and dragged me in."

"Why didn't you leave? You're stronger than that, Hotch."

"I was tired! I'd already had a few beers in me, plus something harder. I figured only one game couldn't hurt."

"Still…"

"They threatened me, Emily," he said bluntly. "I didn't have my gun on me, so there was nothing I could do. I played."

"And won."

"I didn't mean to win so much," he argued. "They got mad, and when they shoved me a bit, my credentials fell out of my pocket."

"So you remember to bring that," she muttered.

"Not helping." He glared at her. "I'm not proud of that night."

"I never said you were. Then what happened?"

He shifted in his seat. "I got the hell out of there. They let me go once they saw the badge, but I knew they weren't done with me. I had just hoped I had more time to figure things out.

"I made it all the way home before I realized I didn't have my badge. Someone must've grabbed it. Either way, I still thought I would be able to think of something."

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That Tuesday, after you all went to lunch, I got a call. I don't know how he got my number, but it was Finch. He told me… He told me he had Jack."

Emily gasped. "Did he?"

"No, and I should have known that. He was with Jessica. But I was so scared and she wasn't picking up her phone, and I listened to him. I followed his instructions and went to the location he told me. I'd barely been there a minute when one of Finch's men came out of nowhere and attacked me. He just punched me over and over, and eventually I started punching back. It was self-defense."

Emily's eyes widened. "Did you kill him?"

"No!" he said, his mouth falling open slightly. "I told you I didn't!"

"I know, I know," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

Hotch leaned back in his seat, still looking upset. "At some point I was pulled off of that guy. At first I thought it was a cop, but it was another one of Finch's buddies. I had to watch as someone beat that first guy into a pulp. It didn't help that he was already injured because of me."

"But your DNA was the only one they found."

"He wore gloves."

"Oh."

Hotch's hand was shaking. Emily could feel it trembling, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. His hand stilled.

"I could hear the police sirens, and suddenly I was all alone. I was going to be charged for murder if I stayed, so I ran. I called Jessica before turning my phone off and confirmed what I should have realized earlier: That Jack was okay and safe. Once I knew that, I was all set to get away."

"What about the team?" she asked. "You just thought you could leave us?"

"Not for a second," he admitted. "But I also knew you would be asked in on this case, and that it wouldn't be safe for me to contact any of you. You'd be considered accessories to murder."

"So that's it then? You were just going to let us investigate without letting us know you were okay?"

"No," he said firmly. "I was going to contact you in some way when the time was right, but I was planning on doing that after I left DC. That was before you were at my apartment."

"How did you even know I was there?" She glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and saw he had become very still. She held her breath.

"I didn't," he said finally. "I only figured it out once you said I wasn't there."

"Then why did you call me in the first place?"

Hotch took another long pause, as if to gather his thoughts.

"When I was in the car, I kept flashing back to the last time I was driving too fast, trying to get somewhere before something happened," he said slowly. Emily didn't have to try to know he was talking about the day Haley died. "I had been running out of time, and that was where I had to say my last goodbyes to… her. I knew then I needed to say goodbye to the other woman in my life."

Emily didn't know what to say. Her heart was thudding madly, and suddenly she was hyper-aware of his hand under hers. She was trying to decide whether to move it or not when Hotch gave it a squeeze. Emily let out a breath and closed her eyes.

"Hotch…"

"Let me finish my story," he said gently. She nodded.

"I knew Finch was tailing me, and I knew it wouldn't be long until he tracked me down. I had to convince him something had happened to me, so before I left the state, I crashed my car. I managed to angle it so I wouldn't die, but it wasn't pretty. I just managed to pull myself out and stumble into the woods when another car pulled up. I didn't stay to see who it was. I just ran as fast as I possibly could, which wasn't incredibly fast to be honest."

"I thought you were dead."

He gazed at her sympathetically. "I know. And I'm so sorry. But if you knew the truth…" His voice trailed off when he saw her avert her eyes. Sucking in his lips briefly, he continued.

"Once I was sure no one was following me, I headed back to the road. Once I could see it, I stayed far away so no one would see me, yet close enough to follow it. Eventually I reached a gas station. I had cuts on my face and a massive limp, so I couldn't walk in, but there was a pay phone. I used it to call my brother, Sean. Someone must've been looking out for me up there," he glanced at the ceiling, "because he wasn't far from Virginia. He came to pick me up that night."

"I never pegged you as a religious man," Emily said with a shaky laugh. Hotch's lips turned up slightly.

"Haven't been able to rely on much else lately. Anyway, Sean brought me to his apartment and cleaned me up. He offered up his guest room, but I pointed out that someone would check it. He's my brother after all. I only stayed long enough to ensure I had a place. Found this cabin online, bought it with Sean's help, and moved up here about two months ago. I've been here ever since."

"Wow," Emily said.

"I know." His gaze slid to their hands, still resting on Hotch's knee. He knew they needed to discuss their last words to each other, but first he had to know some things. "How did you find me? This place isn't in my name. I didn't leave a trail."

"JJ found a report of a man who ran into a burning building nearby here. Fits your description."

He let out a dry chuckle. "Of course that would be how you found me." He sobered quickly. "How is everyone?"

"Okay. Still struggling to deal with everything. None of us lost hope, Hotch. We never stopped looking for you."

"I can see that."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. Morgan's Unit Chief now."

"How's he doing?"

"Fine," she said, leaning back on the couch. Hotch followed suit. "Like I said, everyone's fine. They just miss you."

"And Jack?" This was why he'd had so many sleepless nights. This was what he wanted to hear about the most: His son.

Emily began to explain everything that had happened to the little boy in the past few months. He'd mourned the loss of his father, but still managed to thrive and be happy. Rossi was still his soccer coach, and JJ made sure he and Henry had play-dates. Jack was doing great in school, and his teacher was very impressed. He'd participated in the school spelling bee a few weeks ago, and the whole team was there to watch.

At some point Emily looked over at Hotch to see tears streaming down his face. When he saw her looking he wrenched his hand away from hers and wiped his face furiously.

"Hotch, it's okay to cry!" She grabbed both of his hands and tugged them away from his face. He stared at her for the longest time before leaning forward and kissing her.

It was brief, and he pulled away far too soon. They both gazed at each other for a moment before Emily moved closer to him on the couch. She licked her lips nervously before putting his hands down. Very slowly, she reached one hand up and cupped his faced gently. He leaned into it and closed his eyes.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

"I've missed you, too," she breathed. Hotch reached up and removed her hand from his face. Pulling on it gently, he brought her closer so she was leaning up against him. He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"You never got to hear my say it," she said nervously, breaking the quiet. He tightened his grip on her.

"You still feel that way?"

"Of course I do." She looked up at him. "Do you?"

He brought his head down to meet hers and kissed her again, this time with more passion. This kiss was longer and more desperate, filled with need and want.

"I love you," he gasped when they broke apart. "I'm sorry for everything you went through."

Emily could feel the tears pooling up in her eyes. "I love you too. I'm so happy you're okay."

She knew they still had tons to talk about, but for now she was happy to be in his arms, where she felt safe. She never wanted that to be taken away from her again.


	4. Chapter 4

Hotch and Emily stayed entangled on the couch for a long time after sharing those famous three words. The cabin was silent, the only sound being an occasional chirp from a bird outside. Emily wondered if Hotch fell asleep, but then he lazily rubbed her back, letting her know he was awake. She just smiled and leaned closer. She felt safe. Content.

They needed to talk. To face the truth of what was to come. The thought scared them both, though they were unwilling to let the other see that. They were perfectly happy with prolonging the inevitable for a while longer while they sat there on the couch.

They lost track of time, listening to the sounds of the other's breathing. Emily's eyes began to drift shut when her phone began ringing.

The two of them jumped up and looked around, like two teenagers caught making out. Hotch cleared his throat as Emily pulled her phone out.

"It's Morgan," she reported, glancing at Hotch. She silently asked him what to do.

"Don't," was all he said. Emily frowned.

"Why not?" Her phone continued to blare her ringtone.

"He can't know you found me," Hotch insisted.

Anger bubbled up inside Emily. All Morgan wanted to know was if she'd found their leader. Their friend. He wanted to make sure she was alright, and Hotch didn't want her to tell him. She knew why. If she told Morgan she'd found him, Hotch would have to come home or the team would come up themselves. There would be no escaping them.

But if she didn't, he could stay in hiding. He could let the team go on with their lives, not helping him clear his name. He didn't want them involved.

She licked her lips before pressing the green button. "Hey, Morgan. Yeah, I'm fine… That long? I hadn't realized that much time had passed."

"Did you find him?" Morgan asked, keeping his voice calm. To anyone else, it sounded like he was perfectly composed. To her, it sounded like he was trying not to get his hopes up.

Emily hesitated and eyed Hotch. He was watching her carefully, his face a blank mask. She could very easily say no. That's what he wanted.

But it wasn't fair to the team. To Jack.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. He's here." She turned her back to Hotch, not wanting to see his reaction.

Morgan inhaled sharply, then coughed. "Are you sure?"

"I'm standing right next to him," she said, a smile spreading across her face against her will. The relief and joy in Morgan's voice made it hard not to.

"Oh my God." She could hear the grin in his voice. "That's amazing. We're all at Rossi's house, but I went into another room. We couldn't wait alone for news."

"Well, go tell them," Emily suggested, knowing it would anger Hotch further. She didn't care at this point.

"Yeah. Okay, I will." Morgan sounded dazed, like he couldn't believe it. "You're coming home, right? Both of you?"

"That's the plan," she said, trying to sound optimistic.

"Good. Great." There was a muffled banging noise from his end. "That'd be Garcia. I should go."

"Yeah," Emily said distractedly. "Go."

Morgan hung up, and Emily stood there, not daring to turn around. She just clutched her phone, waiting.

"I told you not to say anything." His voice was low. Hard.

"I couldn't."

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?"

"Couldn't!" She spun around, her eyes alight with a fierceness only Emily could pull off. "It wouldn't be fair! They've been blaming themselves for _months. _Months, Hotch! They were constantly wondering if they could have done anything different to help you. If maybe they pushed you away, or something! Don't you think they deserved to know?"

"I don't want them to get caught up in my problems," Hotch growled, his face a grim mask.

"News flash! Your problems are our problems! They became ours when you ran away. When you left us."

"I'm not going back," he said obstinately. He stalked into the kitchen, leaving Emily dumbstruck.

"Are you _serious?_" she hissed. The cabin was one open room, so she could yell at him and see him at the same time. "After I told Morgan I'd found you?"

"I told you not to!"

"You realize how happy they're gonna be, right? How thrilled they'll be to know you're okay? Are you really going to let them down and not go back?"

"It's not safe for me," he tried, pacing aimlessly around the kitchen area.

"We'll make it safe! We're goddamn FBI agents!"

"Emily, I'm doing this for _them! _I'm keeping them safe!"

"Bullshit!" Hotch stopped pacing and glared at her. Normally she might have withered under that stare, but now she was so furious she didn't move an inch.

"Emily…" His voice was threatening now.

"I thought you loved me," she said, lowering her voice an octave. Hotch's jaw clenched.

"I do."

"Then come back."

He tore his gaze away and focused on the floor. Her heart broke. She wasn't enough for him to fly back to Virginia and return to his family.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she quickly composed herself and reverted to another tactic.

"If you won't come back for me, then do it for Jack. He needs his dad." Hotch's shoulders sagged, so Emily knew she was getting somewhere. Stepping forward, she slowly approached the kitchen.

"If you're afraid of the danger, let us investigate. Let us try and help you. You've said it yourself: We're the best at what we do. We can put Finch away for good and let you return to your normal life."

By now she was standing directly in front of Hotch. Her gaze was defiant, unyielding. She wasn't going to let him go.

Hotch finally raised his eyes to meet hers. They were full of hopefulness and resignation. It was like he was torn between returning home and staying where he was.

"It's just…" he started to say before trailing off. He sucked in his lips briefly. "It's just that, it sounds too good to be true."

"A lot of what we try to achieve sounds too good to be true. But we've done it. We've achieved it. I know we can do it again." She carefully reached forward and clasped one of her hands in his. "I'm begging you, Hotch. Come home."

He stared at her for what felt like the longest time. His eyes desperately searched for any reason to say no. For any possibility that she was unsure about succeeding in clearing his name. Her heart was pounding as the seconds ticked by.

_Come on, Hotch._

"Okay," he whispered. She blinked.

"What?" Her heart began to lift.

"I'll come with you."

He seemed surprised, as if he couldn't believe he'd agreed with her. A reassuring smile appeared on her face.

"Thank you." She flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He shyly patted her on the back before enclosing her in a hug. Inhaling her scent, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to feel peace with his decision.

"Everything's going to be okay," he said hoarsely, as if he was trying to convince himself.

Emily pulled back and studied his face. His expression was the same one she saw every day when they were on a case. It was determined and fearless, showing everyone he wasn't to back down from a challenge. However, in his eyes, Emily saw a hint of terror. He was afraid of what was to come and what it would mean for his family. If anyone was hurt, he would blame himself for the rest of his life.

"It is," she said softly, reaching up to caress his face. He brought his head down to kiss her. She thought back to how he'd reacted when she asked him to return for her, and then she quickly shoved it away. That wasn't fair. He was just trying to keep her safe. He always kept her safe. And now it was her turn to do the same for him.

**I'm so sorry for the long wait! Things have gotten pretty hectic, and I haven't had a lot of time to write. Add that to a bit of writer's block, and you have this delay. The good news is I have the rest of the story planned out, so hopefully there won't be anymore writer's block. If you're still with me and enjoying this story, please let me know! I love hearing from you!**

**And a massive THANK YOU to anyone who voted for BAU High School in the Profiler's Choice Awards! I'm so surprised and grateful that I won. I couldn't do it without all of you. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I apologize yet again for the wait, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! =)**

After months of living in solitude in upstate New York, Aaron Hotchner would be returning home to Quantico, Virginia. It was a surreal thought, and Emily could tell he was feeling odd about it. Since the moment he said yes, there was a faraway look in his eyes, and she wondered if he was having second thoughts about it. If he was, she wasn't letting him back out.

Garcia ensured that they had a second ticket for the flight home so they wouldn't have to worry about buying one. Hotch packed a small bag with some clothes and toiletries. No personal items would be making the journey with the exception of some old photos of Jack and the team. Other than those, he had nothing special to take.

They decided that while the team was hunting down Damian Finch, Hotch would stay with Emily at her apartment. His apartment was sold after he left, and it wouldn't be safe for him to find a place of his own. Jack would remain with Jessica.

Before they boarded, Emily snuck into the bathroom and called Rossi. She gave him the flight information so he'd be there to pick them up. She told him about Hotch's hesitance to come and how she was scared he was mad at her.

"He'll be fine," the older profiler assured her. "He just needs to adjust to everything."

Their flight was at three o'clock in the afternoon. Hotch was restless the whole time. He kept glancing out the window and fiddling with his fingers. Emily offered up the magazine she picked up at the airport, but he said he was fine.

Several times during the trip, Emily would look at Hotch out of the corner of her eye. The sunlight on his face brought attention to the lines around his eyes, making him seem much older than he really was. He looked like a man who had seen way too much in his life. It broke Emily's heart to know it was true.

She wanted to comfort him. To tell him everything would work out, that Finch would go to jail and everything would go back to normal. Emily truly believed that. She just wished Hotch could too.

An hour later, the plane touched down in Washington DC. Emily noticed how Hotch's shoulders tensed when the pilot announced their descent. She placed her left hand over his right, and he deflated slightly.

He kept his head down once they disembarked, leaving Emily to be the one searching for Rossi. Their only luggage could pass for carry-ons, so they didn't have to bother with baggage claim.

Emily led the way to the passenger drop-off area outside. Across the pavement was a parking lot. She scanned it quickly and spotted a head of salt and pepper hair leaning against a dark car. Glancing back at Hotch, she saw he had a strange expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

He blinked, then looked at her. "Nothing." She shot him a pointed look, and he sighed. "It just feels weird to be back."

She nodded and offered a small smile. "I understand." She held out her right hand. "Come on."

He eyed it carefully before sliding his left hand into hers. She guided him across the road and into the parking lot, weaving in and out of cars. Eventually they reached Rossi.

He hugged Emily, then stood straight and stared at Hotch. Hotch returned the gaze, and Emily hastily dropped his hand. Rossi definitely noticed, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he let out a low whistle.

"Nice beard," he commented. Hotch was quiet, then a slow, tiny smile spread across his face. He stepped forward and hugged his best friend, closing his eyes as Rossi reciprocated. It was like when Rossi returned to the BAU, only more heartfelt. They'd grown much closer since then.

"It's good to see you," Rossi whispered. Hotch swallowed the lump in his throat.

"It's good to see you too."

* * *

Emily took the backseat on the way to her place, allowing Hotch to sit up front so he and Rossi could catch up, though it was more of Rossi filling the other man in on the happenings in the BAU. Hotch kept looking out the window as the familiar landscape raced by. Three months may not seem like a lot to some people, but for him it was a lifetime. He was soaking it all in.

Emily watched him closely, keeping her eyes out for any obvious signs of discomfort or resentment at being back. She wished he'd relax, but she knew he wouldn't until Finch was behind bars.

Rossi sensed his friend's unease as well, which is why he kept the conversation flowing. If it got too quiet, Hotch might begin to doubt himself for returning, and they couldn't have that.

After about a half hour, Rossi pulled into the parking lot of Emily's apartment complex. Because it was a Sunday afternoon approaching nighttime, there weren't any people walking on the sidewalks. Hotch looked at Rossi in confusion when the older man climbed out of the car with them.

"What are you doing?"

"I just want to see you get settled," Rossi said casually, but Emily saw the gleam in his eye. Her stomach dropped.

Hotch looked suspicious, but he shrugged and gestured for Emily to lead the way. He quickly fell behind her and Rossi, which she was grateful for at the moment.

"What are you up to?" she hissed as they entered the lobby of the building.

"Nothing," Rossi said innocently.

"I don't think Hotch is up for any surprises," she warned, jabbing the up button for the elevator with her thumb.

"He'll be up for this," Rossi muttered under his breath. Emily closed her eyes and shook her head, stepping into the elevator. Rossi and Hotch followed, the latter having not heard the conversation.

They reached Emily's floor and followed her down the hall to her door. Shooting Rossi another cautious look, she turned her key in the lock and entered the apartment. It only took her two seconds to realize what Rossi had meant.

The team was there. Morgan and Garcia were sitting on her couch, Garcia cuddling up against Morgan while he rubbed her arm. JJ was perched on the armchair, fiddling with her phone. Reid was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a book in his hand. His eyes flew down the page and every second he flipped to a new one.

They all looked up when they heard the door open, and Emily could practically feel their disappointment at seeing her first. With a sigh, she stepped aside so they could see the man behind her.

Hotch walked in, then froze at the sight of his former colleagues. He suddenly looked uncomfortable, no doubt because of all the eyes on him.

Garcia was the first one to move. She sprang off the couch and flew across the room so fast she was a colorful blur. She threw her arms around Hotch and squeezed him tight.

"Y-You're back!" she sobbed, tears beginning to soak Hotch's jacket.

"Garcia," he wheezed.

"Yes, sir?" When she noticed he couldn't breathe, she stepped back. "Sorry."

Hotch was silent for a moment before giving in and smiling warmly. That only made Garcia cry harder, and she gave him another hug, though a more gentle one.

JJ came next. She eagerly hugged the man she saw as a brother and whispered, "Thank God you're okay."

After JJ was Morgan. Hotch offered his hand, but Morgan shook his head and clapped Hotch on the back. Hotch rolled his eyes as he accepted the man-hug.

"It's great to see you, man," Morgan said.

Reid was last. He timidly walked forward, an uncertain look on his face. Hotch was the only father figure he really had left, since Gideon and his biological dad walked away. When Hotch had disappeared, Reid had never felt more alone.

Hotch knew exactly what was running through the younger man's head, and he gave Reid a hug with no hesitation. Reid broke down and cried at that point, and even Hotch felt some tears spring up in his eyes.

"So this is why you came inside," Emily murmured to Rossi over by the door. They were both watching Hotch embrace Reid while JJ and Garcia cried and Morgan grinned.

"They wanted to see him," Rossi replied with a shrug. "I wasn't going to stop them."

"He needed this," she agreed. "This probably erased any fears he had."

"Oh, no. He's still afraid, but at least now he knows he's not alone."

"He was never alone," Emily argued, looking over at Rossi.

"I know that," Rossi said. "But he didn't."

Emily just nodded before joining the team. Garcia gave her a hug and thanked her for bringing Hotch home, though Emily pointed out that Garcia got her the ticket. Eventually they all found themselves sitting in Emily's living room. Hotch was seated in the middle of the couch between JJ and Garcia, Rossi took the armchair, and Morgan, Emily, and Reid sat on barstools.

"So, how've you been, Hotch?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, how are you?" Garcia asked concernedly. Hotch sighed warily.

"As well as can be expected with all this," he admitted. He looked around the room. "I'm happy to see all of you."

"We're glad to see you, too," JJ said.

Hotch looked at Morgan. "Heard you're Unit Chief."

"Yeah, but I'm not really made for the job. Your office is waiting for you," Morgan said.

"It'll have to wait a bit longer," Hotch said gravely. The team fell silent at the reminder. Yet another bad guy was tormenting their leader. Would the madness ever end?

"We'll get him," Rossi declared. Everyone nodded, except Hotch. He was staring at the coffee table in front of him.

After that the team tried to keep the good spirits alive, but they could see Hotch was fading fast. The speed at which things were moving was too rapid for him, and he looked overwhelmed. Pretty soon they said their goodbyes and promised to keep him posted on things at the office. Rossi said they would start hunting Finch that week.

Once the door closed on the last BAU member, Emily turned and eyed Hotch. He was sitting motionless on the couch, looking lost. Emily swallowed and dropped her gaze to the floor before looking up again and walking over to him. She lowered herself onto the couch and stared at him, but didn't reach out to touch him. She wanted to, but wasn't sure if he would want that right now.

For the longest time Hotch didn't speak, and it seemed like he wasn't going to. His brown eyes were vacant, and Emily thought he looked even older than he had on the plane. She quickly decided to take charge.

"Come on," she said, standing up. He remained silent, but thankfully turned his gaze to her. "You're exhausted," she explained. She walked over to the door and picked up his duffle bag from where they'd left it earlier. Hefting it onto her back, she moved back to Hotch and held out her hand. He remained motionless for a moment before reaching out and accepting her hand. Emily felt a surge of warmth when his smooth hand slid into hers.

Tugging gently, she led him up the stairs and to the right, moving down the hall. She reached the guest room at the end and nudged the door open with her foot. A simple, king-sized bed with no sheets stood in the center with a nightstand to the right. Against the wall across from the bed was a black bureau with a large mirror. The door to the bathroom was along the same wall as the door to the hallway.

"Sorry it's not made up," Emily apologized, dropping Hotch's hand and setting his bag on the bed. She instantly mourned the loss of contact. "I don't keep the sheets on it if no one's using it. Lemme get some."

As she left the room, she hoped Hotch would move around, maybe unpack his things. _Something. _Unfortunately, she was let down when she returned and saw her former boss hadn't moved from where he stood in the doorway.

Sighing, she scooted past him and set the folded sheets on the bed. Grabbing his bag, she briskly unzipped it and began putting away the pitiful amount of clothing it held. Sweaters and jeans were placed in the drawers. His toiletries she stuck in the bathroom. Her heart stopped for a second when she found the photos, but she hurriedly regained her composure and placed them on the nightstand.

Once everything was away, her stuffed the duffel under the bed and started to put the sheets on it. Somehow that snapped Hotch out of his reverie, for he suddenly said "I'll do that."

Emily looked over in surprise. "You sure? It's no problem."

"I've got it," he insisted. He looked embarrassed at his trance-like behavior a few moments ago. "You've done enough."

"Okay," she said slowly, drifting towards the door. She knew he needed his privacy, but she longed to stay with him and talk to him. To hold him and let him know it was okay to be afraid. Just 24 hours ago they had been doing just that, but that seemed worlds away now.

"I'll, uh, let you get some rest," she continued, leaving enough space between her and the door in case he wanted to call her back.

"Good night," he said instead, already dragging the pale green sheets across the mattress. Emily's heart sank, but she smiled bravely and said her own goodnight before walking down the hall.

_ What was I expecting? _She silently berated herself. _He's been through a major shock in the last few hours, he's not gonna run into your arms know that he's home. He needs time._

Still, that didn't mean it didn't hurt. The man she loved was struggling, and she felt so useless. She wished she knew what to do to help.

The thought came to her when she was brushing her teeth. It came so suddenly, like a flash of an image.

The pictures. The one she had retrieved from Hotch's bag. One had been of the team, but the other was of Jack. Hotch had already seen the team, but hadn't talked to Jack in months.

A small smile spread across her face as she picked up her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts. She needed to make phone call.

* * *

Down the hall, Hotch was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had put the sheets on the bed, put on his pajamas, and brushed his teeth. He was exhausted, yet couldn't fall asleep. He couldn't shut his brain off.

So much had happened in the past day. He'd gone from living alone in upstate New York to taking up residence in Emily Prentiss' apartment.

He knew he should be happy to be back. Thrilled, relieved, anything but how he felt, which was empty. He'd dreamed about this day for months, pictured what would happen. He always envisioned it as him stepping off the plane to find the team waiting for him at the gate. Rossi would tell him they'd caught Finch and that Hotch was cleared and that everything could go back to normal. They'd drive him to his apartment, where Jack would be waiting. He would have ran to the door and thrown his tiny arms around Hotch's legs. Sometimes, if Hotch thought hard enough, he could almost feel it.

But this wasn't his fantasies. Finch wasn't behind bars, and nothing was back to normal. He had to hide in Emily's apartment until that happened, forced to be a recluse.

And worst of all, Jack wasn't there with him.

Hotch could feel the tears threatening to reveal themselves, and he fiercely rubbed his eyes in an attempt to shoo them away.

_Pull yourself together Aaron, _he thought. He moaned and tilted his head back on the pillow even farther before slumping back into his original position.

_Life sucks._

His only form of comfort at the moment was at the opposite end of the hall, where she went after he'd pushed her away. He knew she wanted to help and be there for him, but he'd been so caught up in his misery he had rebuffed her attempt at soothing him. _Stupid Aaron._

Suddenly, as if his thoughts had called her, there was a soft knock on the door. He sat up and rubbed his eyes again to make sure no tears slipped out. "Come in."

Emily stepped in, wearing silk purple pajamas. The pants were more like capris, and the straps were thin on her shoulders. She looked beautiful.

"I had an idea," she said, moving toward the bed. She held out her cell phone and a slip of paper with a phone number scribbled on it.

"What's this?" he asked, staring at it in confusion.

"The way to get in contact with Jack," Emily said simply, holding the items out farther. Hotch's eyes widened.

"Emily… I can't."

"Why not?"

"If word gets out that I'm here…" His voice trailed off as he gazed at the phone. It was so tempting.

"He won't tell anyone," Emily assured him. "I just talked to Jessica, and she promised to make sure he stays quiet."

Hotch swallowed. "Really?"

"Really," she replied softly, smiling in encouragement. "C'mon, Hotch. Admit it. You need this."

His eyes never left the slightly crumpled piece of paper as he accepted it from her. She pressed her phone into his palm and made sure he had a firm grip before letting go. She paused at the door to look back.

"Just give me the phone in the morning, okay?" She offered him a kind smile, and Hotch felt his heart lift. He nodded his understanding, and she began to leave the room.

"Emily," he called. It still felt odd calling her by her first name, but he liked it. She turned back and raised her eyebrows in questioning.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely. Emily grinned and nodded before leaving.

He stared at the square of paper in his hand for ages. He flipped it over and over, trying to gather the courage to type the seven numbers in. Several times he began to do it before cancelling the call.

It was silly, what he was doing. He was afraid of talking to his own _son_.

Shaking his head, he cautiously thumbed each number, bringing the phone to his ear once he was done. The automated ringing sounded, and his heart thumped madly while he waited.

"Hello?" an impish voice asked carefully. Hotch's chest constricted.

"Hey, buddy," he croaked.

"DADDY!" Jack cried.

"Yeah, Jack, it's me. How's my little man?"

"I'm good, Daddy. I miss you."

Hotch closed his eyes against the wave of tears. "I know. I miss you too."

"When are you coming home?"

Hotch cleared his throat. "Not quite yet, Jack, but soon."

"You gotta fight the bad guys?" Jack asked. Hotch nodded even though his son couldn't see him.

"Yeah, I gotta fight the bad guys." He rubbed his forehead. "But when I'm done, I'll come home to you. I promise."

"You'll get them, Daddy," Jack declared, his voice as solemn as a five-year-old could be.

"I hope so," Hotch whispered. He shook his head before saying, "But let's not worry about that now. How's school?"

Jack regaled him with stories about his life for the last few months. He told his father all about his soccer games and his spelling bee. Hotch just smiled to himself and listened, soaking in the sound of his son's voice. Occasionally he said something like, "Oh, really?" and other words of encouragement. Sometime during the conversation he leaned back against the headboard.

Eventually Hotch could hear the wariness in Jack's voice. Glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand, he saw it was nearly ten o'clock. Way past Jack's bedtime.

"You need to get to sleep, buddy," Hotch said, wishing he didn't have to. He could already feel the loneliness return.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do." He paused. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"It's okay. I have school tomorrow."

That wasn't why Hotch was saying sorry, but it didn't matter.

"I love you so much," Hotch said, gripping the phone tightly.

"I love you too, Daddy!" Jack chirped. "I can't wait to see you!"

"And I can't wait to see you too. But remember, no one can know we talked. It's our little secret."

"Of course," Jack whispered confidentially. "I'll be the bestest secret keeper ever."

"I know you will. Good night, Jack."

"Night, Daddy!"

Jack hung up, but Hotch kept the phone by his ear for a long time after that. Finally, he set it on the nightstand and slid down so he was no longer sitting. The tears came out now, faster and in greater numbers than earlier.

_I'll get him, Jack. I'll get the bad guy._


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi. I know, it's been a long time. And I am so, so sorry about that. I went away on vacation recently and that was when I was able to write this chapter. I hope I can update more frequently from now on. Enjoy the chapter!**

The next morning Hotch woke up a few minutes before seven. It took him several seconds to remember where he was. Memories washed over him: Emily showing up at his cabin in New York, them kissing on the couch, flying home, seeing the team again, and best of all, talking to Jack.

Hotch had never felt more rejuvenated and exhausted at the same time.

Pushing himself into a sitting position, Hotch rubbed his eyes. His fingers drifted down to his beard. _I'll have to shave that, _he thought. Standing up, he went to the bathroom before grabbing Emily's cell phone and moving out into the hallway. At first he thought she wasn't awake, but then he heard movement downstairs in the kitchen.

Emily was wearing a bathrobe over her pajamas. Her back was to him as she stood in front of the counter making coffee. Clearing his throat, Hotch watched as she spun around.

"Oh!" She smiled. "Good morning."

"Morning." He placed her phone in the counter and met her eyes. "Thank you so much for last night."

"Knew you needed it." She held up her mug. "Coffee?"

"Please," Hotch answered, sitting down on one of the bar stools. She fixed him a cup and stood across from him. Silence dominated the room for a few moments while Hotch sipped his drink.

"Did you sleep well?" Emily asked finally.

Hotch nodded. He eyed her hands, longing to take them, but something held him back. Instead he asked, "Are you going in?"

"Yeah. We're planning on reopening the Finch investigation." She watched him closely, gauging his reaction. His face remained stoic, as usual, though Emily noticed how he tightened his grip on the mug.

"You'll have to stay here," she continued. "No one-"

"Can know I'm here," he finished. "I know."

Emily bit her lip. She hated seeing him like this. Slowly, she slid her hand across the counter and rested it on his. After a moment, he twisted his around so their fingers were laced together.

"Emily," he started, but she cut him off.

"It's okay, Hotch. I understand." She began to untangle her hand from his, but he held on, not letting her move.

"No, it's not," he insisted, staring at their hands. "I've been pushing you away, and you don't deserve that."

"You've had your life flipped upside down these past few days," she replied evenly. "It's a major change, and with everything that's going on I would actually be surprised of you accepted me with open arms."

For a brief second Hotch looked hurt at the implication that he pushed people away, then deflated. "Still, after what happened in New York… What we said, I mean. I just-"

"Hotch," she interrupted. She looked him straight in the eye. "I know."

A silent "I love you" passed between them as Hotch squeezed her hand. They stayed there for a while before Hotch drew away.

"You should get ready," he said, a frown appearing on his face. Emily sighed and nodded, heading back upstairs.

Hotch wasn't going to be able to stand staying in her apartment all day while the team worked to clear his name. Emily knew that because she was the same way. They would rather be with the team, combing through leads and evidence.

The frown that had graced Hotch's face only moments ago stayed in her mind as she got dressed. It was a lost look, an empty look. Remaining inside probably made him feel useless; the same way he must have felt when Jack and Haley were sent into witness protection.

When she returned to the kitchen, she saw that Hotch hadn't moved. Wincing, she continued to get ready for work, keeping a close eye on him. After putting it off for as long as she could, Emily was ready to leave. She stood in the middle of the room, pretending to adjust her bag strap. Of course, Hotch saw right through her.

"You're going to be late," he said quietly.

Emily hesitated. "Maybe I could-"

"Don't even think about it," he said sternly. "The team needs you." He softened. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked, playing with her bag.

He stood up and walked around the counter. Placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her in and kissed her. It was soft and reassuring, and Emily felt a bit more at ease.

"Alright," Emily whispered when they separated. "But you have to let me come by for lunch."

For the first time all morning, he smiled, though it was tiny. "It's your apartment."

Grinning, Emily left, giving Hotch a quick kiss before heading out the door. As soon as it thudded shut, the frown returned to his face.

* * *

When Emily entered the round table room twenty minutes later, everyone else was already seated. Case files were splayed across the surface, and Reid was already poring over one.

"How is he?" Rossi asked, coffee mug in hand. The rest of the team raised their eyes and listened to Emily's answer.

"As well as can be expected," she responded, dropping into a chair. "You know he hates being sidelined."

"It's for his safety," Rossi reminded her.

"I know, I just feel bad for him." She bit her lip. "He talked to Jack last night."

Everyone's head swiveled to face her, their expressions worried and surprised.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Morgan asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Jack won't tell anyone," Emily said. "Hotch needed it. Badly."

Rossi eyed her for a long time. She started to squirm when he finally broke the silence.

"What's going on with you two?"

Emily kept her face blank. "I'm sorry?"

"Yeah, what's going on?" Morgan chimed in, leaning forward. "You two seemed off yesterday."

"He just came home after three months!" she exclaimed. "Of course he would seem off!"

"But why were you two holding hands?" Rossi countered. Emily glared at him.

"When were you guys holding hands?" Garcia demanded, perking up.

"At the airport," Rossi said smugly. Everyone stared at Emily.

Mind racing, she said the first thing that came to mind. "He needed the support." That wasn't a lie.

"Right," Rossi drawled. "I'm sure that's why."

"Shouldn't we be working?" Emily suggested, dragging a file over. The team merely smirked and followed her lead.

For the next few hours, the BAU sifted through countless files. Occasionally they would share something new, but for the most part it was silent.

Unfortunately for them, Finch had been unnervingly silent since Hotch's disappearance. His credit card records were like that of a normal person: gas, groceries, the usual. He had abstained from causing any trouble on the streets, and there hadn't been any disturbances in his neighborhood.

"Maybe we're looking at this wrong," JJ suggested after two and a half hours, rubbing her neck.

"How so?" Reid asked, cocking his head.

"We need to look at the bigger picture," JJ declared. "Now, what kind of person is Finch?"

"A narcisst," Reid answered. "Puts himself above others."

"He was willing to sacrifice the right-hand man just to frame Hotch," Morgan mused. "He lets them do the dirty work."

"Garcia," Rossi said. "Look at Finch's cronies."

"Already on it." She tapped various keys on her laptop. "Okay, my fearless crime fighters, here's the sitch: After Carl Henderson died, Finch appointed a new lieutenant, and word on the street is he's named Travis Scott. Before you ask, yes, I'm pulling up credit card records now." She gasped after a moment. "Oh, guys…"

"What?" asked Emily.

"Scott bought a round-trip ticket a month ago to Sand Lake, New York."

Dread filled the team, and they shared looks of horror. Emily's heart sank to her stomach.

"They knew?" she whispered.

"We don't know that," Rossi said, a troubled expression on his face.

"What else can that mean?" Emily sputtered. "It's not likely that Finch's new right-hand man would buy a plane ticket to a small town in upstate New York _for fun_."

"But if they knew he was there," Reid interjected, "why didn't they do anything to him?"

"They have something bigger planned," Rossi said grimly.

"What?" Garcia asked, her eyes wide.

"I don't know." Rossi shrugged. "We just have to be ready for whatever it is."

* * *

Emily raced home at lunch time, not even stopping to pick up food. After learning that Finch knew where Hotch had been hiding, she needed to see him. She needed to be sure he was okay, to see it with her own eyes.

"Hotch?" she called as she entered her apartment.

"I'm here," he answered, his voice almost bored.

She hurried farther into the apartment and saw him lying on the couch watching a random talk show. He was still in his pajamas, though Emily didn't blame him for that. When he looked at her he must have noticed the worry on her face, for he sat up immediately.

"What's wrong?"

She forced a smile. "Nothing."

"What's wrong?" he repeated. His eyes begged her to answer, and she slowly sat down next to him. He placed his hand on top of hers in an attempt to soothe her.

"Finch's new second-in-command," she started, "recently brought a plane ticket to Sand Lake, New York."

Hotch's eyes widened, and his whole body tensed. He cleared his throat.

"When?"

Emily licked her lips. "A month ago."

Hotch almost removed his hand from hers, but she held on.

"A month," he echoed lowly. "They've known for a _month._"

"And you're still okay," she said in what she hoped was a comforting voice. "They haven't hurt you."

"Yet," he said dryly. "Now that I'm back in their area, I'm up for grabs. So is anyone who-"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Emily warned. "Dont't even think about it." She gripped Hotch's hand. "We're in this together. We are all here for you."

He was quiet for a moment before offering a wan smile. "I know. I just don't want you or the team to get hurt. You guys mean too much to me."

"We'll be fine," she insisted, blinking back tears. She was constantly reminded of how the team was Hotch's only family, with his brother living in New York, father being dead, and not having a good relationship with his mother.

Hotch stared at her before kissing her lightly.

"How's the team?"

Emily leaned back on the couch, and Hotch followed suit, keeping their hands together. "Same as yesterday. Happy you're back, worried about you, determined to find Finch..." Her voice trailed off.

"Worried about me?" He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously?" He nodded. "They're worried about how you're adjustin to being back. And about Finch, obviously."

"Well, they don't have to be." He gave her a pointed look. "I'm adjusting just fine, and we'll catch Finch."

Emily squeezed her hand. "I know."

* * *

After an enjoyable hour with Hotch, Emily returned to the BAU, refreshed and ready to get back to work. However, as she stepped off the elevator, she saw the one person she wished not to see.

"Agent Prentiss," Section Chief Erin Strauss greeted crisply. "I was wondering where you were."

Emily's heart sped up. "Taking my lunch break, m'am. Is that not allowed?"

Strauss raised her eyebrows. "Of course not. I just would have thought you would go with your team members, yet they all stayed here."

Emily struggled to keep her cool. "I met a friend."

Strauss nodded slowly. "I see." She glanced through the glass doors to the round table room. "What are you all working on?" She turned back to Emily, a suspicious look on her face. "A new case?"

"Cold cases, m'am," Emily responded, maintaining eye contact. After a moment Strauss looked away and began to continue down the hall.

"Just as long as you're using your time wisely," she called. "Wouldn't want you to waste your time on pointless cases." Emily remained standing there until Strauss disappeared.

Strauss may think it was pointless, but the innocence of the man she loved was on the line, and she wasn't going to give up until he was cleared.

**If you're still with me, please leave a message and let me know! It'll help me update faster!**

**Either way, thank you as always for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**How's that for a speedy update? ;) Since there's no new episode tonight, here's a new chapter to compensate for it. Enjoy!**

Other than the discovery of the plane ticket, the team quickly ran out of leads. The rest of the week went by with nothing, and JJ was having a hard time trying to prevent them from being called away on a case. As Friday rolled around, tensions were beginning to run high.

And it wasn't just in the office. Back home, Emily noticed that Hotch was beginning to lose patience. He was normally able to keep his cool with heavy matters, but after being shut up for so long, he was getting anxious.

Emily was finding it harder and harder to calm him down. Every night she came home to find him watching TV, only she knew he wasn't really watching it. He often spaced out, looking more lost than ever. She was always able to snap him out of it, but it wasn't always easy.

Hotch just wanted to get back to his own life. He wanted to return to work and see his son again. Every minute away was killing him inside.

In an attempt to keep him occupied, Emily brought home books and DVDs for him to use during the day. She got him puzzle books, too (He had raised his eyebrows at that). She had even brought him a razor and shaving cream. She hoped he might feel a bit better if he reverted to his old habits.

Every night, they would sit on the couch together, and Emily would hold him. They wouldn't talk, just bask in each other's company. It was nice. Peaceful. But it would never last. After a while Hotch would stir, signaling that he wanted to go upstairs, and Emily would let go. And as much as it pained her, she let him go up to his room alone, because he wouldn't allow them to sleep in the same bed.

* * *

"This isn't working," Emily announced Friday morning. They were all gathered in the round table room with the exception of JJ, who was off trying to get them more time before a new case. They had barely been there an hour before this interruption.

"We know," Rossi said, leaning back in his chair. "But there's nothing else for us to do."

"Well, we're wasting our time," Emily huffed. Her heart sank when she realized Strauss was right about them not using their time wisely.

"No," Rossi countered patiently. "We're going over everything to make sure we didn't miss anything."

"We've been through these files way too many times," said Morgan. "I really don't think we missed anything."

"What I don't get," said Reid suddenly, "is why Finch hasn't made his move. If he knew Hotch was hiding away somewhere, why not draw him out?"

"Okay," Rossi said slowly. He scrutinized Reid. "You're Finch. Why wouldn't you do anything?"

Reid was silent as he thought about it. "I'm waiting," he said eventually. "This is what I've been waiting for, my revenge. That's why I haven't participated in any illegal activity. I can't miss this."

"It's almost like he's waiting for us to make a move," Morgan murmured.

"What kind of move?" Garcia asked. "I mean, it's not like we can arrest him."

"No," Rossi agreed. "But we can find him."

Emily shot him an exasperated look. "That's what we've been trying to do all week. He's gone off the grid."

"Exactly," Rossi replied. Everyone stared at him blankly.

"Okay, I'll bite," Morgan said. "What do you mean?"

"The answer is somewhere in here. Finch wants us to find it, but we can't because we've been looking at it for too long." He looked at each of them. "We need a fresh pair of eyes."

* * *

When Emily handed Hotch the case file, all she got in return was a confused look.

"What is this?"

"Finch's file. You need to go over it."

He raised his eyebrows. "I do?"

Emily nodded and plopped down on the couch next to him. "We need new eyes. A second take. Rossi thinks the answer is in there."

Hotch stared at it for a moment before flipping it open. A familiar look of intense concentration came on his face as his brown eyes began to dart back and forth. The apartment was silent for several minutes while Hotch read everything. Emily went into the kitchen and got a glass of water, but continued to watch him.

When he finished, he wordlessly reached behind him for the phone and dialed a number. Emily frowned and walked over to him. He raised his eyes to meet hers but didn't say anything. A familiar, chipper voice could be heard from the phone.

"Garcia," Hotch said, tearing his gaze away from Emily. "I need you to send over everything you can on Carl Henderson."

Emily could hear Garcia's excitement from where she was standing, and she had to suppress a smile. It was so good to hear Hotch ask Garcia for info. It was almost like old times. Almost.

Hotch hung up a few moments later. "Garcia's emailing you Henderson's files. I need to read it."

Emily hurried upstairs and grabbed her laptop. The file was waiting for her in her inbox.

"Why do you want Henderson's stuff?" she asked, handing Hotch the laptop.

"Who was the person Finch framed me for murdering?"

Emily almost smacked herself. How did they miss that?

"It's not your fault," Hotch said, as if he could read her thoughts. "He's been dead for months."

"I know," she replied defensively, but he had already begun reading.

Hotch had been working barely a minute when Emily's cell phone rang. Running upstairs, she ducked into her bedroom and answered.

"Any luck?" Rossi asked.

Emily glanced toward the door. "No. Well, not yet, at least. Garcia sent over another file for him."

"What file?"

"Carl Henderson's."

Rossi let out a low whistle. "And so Aaron proves why he was Unit Chief."

"Is."

"I'm sorry?"

"Why he _is_ Unit Chief."

Rossi sighed. "Emily…"

"Morgan is _Acting _Unit Chief," she insisted. "Hotch is our real Unit Chief."

Rossi didn't say anything, just asked her to keep him posted before hanging up.

"Emily?" Hotch's voice called. "I found something."

When she got downstairs, he pointed to the laptop screen.

"Henderson's grandfather owned a shoe factory on the outskirts of DC, but it went out of business ten years ago."

Emily's eyes widened. "You think Finch's center of operations is there?"

"Perfect place for illegal activities," Hotch answered. "He can lay low there for however long he needs to."

Emily called Rossi right then and there and told him what Hotch just told her. Rossi seemed thrilled to finally have something to go on and informed her that he and Morgan would go check it out. Satisfied, Emily hung up and turned to smile at Hotch. However, it quickly disappeared.

"Hotch?" She looked around the room. He was nowhere to be seen. "Hotch?"

"Yeah?" His voice came from upstairs. When she got there, she found him in the guest room tugging a sweater over his head. He had switched from pajama pants to jeans. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he dragged a sneaker over and slipped it on.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Emily asked carefully. Hotch laced his sneakers.

"The team is going to check out the factory, right?"

Emily hesitated. "Rossi and Morgan are."

"I am too."

She immediately shook her head. "Nuh uh. No way."

Hotch stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"You can't go."

He stood up and walked over to her. His eyes were dark.

"What authority do you have over me?" he challenged. "What makes you think you can stop me?"

Emily actually stumbled back a tiny bit. This sudden change in behavior scared her and made her a little angry. She drew herself up to full height.

"I can't let you go," she fired back. "And you know why."

"Alright." He crossed his arms. "Why?"

Her eyes flashed. "It's too dangerous."

"I've participated in dozens of takedowns."

"This isn't even a takedown!" she cried shrilly. "Not yet, at least. Besides," she lowered her voice, "those instances didn't involve someone targeting you especially. This is for _your _safety."

"To hell with my safety!" he roared. "I'm tired of waiting!"

"This isn't like you," she whispered. "Please, just try to think rationally." Her eyes searched his face, and he softened marginally.

"I'm sorry. I just…" He closed his eyes. "I want this to be over." Suddenly he looked ten years older, like everything had worn him down completely.

"I know," Emily said softly. She inched forward and tentatively wrapped her arms around him. He melted into her embrace and held her tightly. She maneuvered them to the bed and lay down beside him. They stayed like that for a long time. So long that Emily lost track of time.

She wished the same thing Hotch did: That it could be all over. She closed her eyes and imagined that it was, and they were cuddling simply because they loved each other, not because Hotch needed someone to calm him down and make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

Emily's cell phone broke the peacefulness. Hotch rolled away from her, and she missed his presence as soon as he was gone.

"Prentiss," she mumbled.

"He's there."

She became very still and very aware of Hotch's eyes on her.

"You're sure?"

"Positive. We got pictures."

Emily's heartbeat sped up. "Wow."

"Yep." She could practically hear Rossi's grin. Then her heart sank.

"But we can't bring him in."

"Garcia didn't call you?"

"No. Why?"

"She unearthed a police report about suspected illegal drug use in Finch's circle. She called DCPD, and the case is ours."

"Just like that?" Emily raised her eyebrows even though Rossi couldn't see her.

"Just like that." He paused. "Emily, we can end this."

She swallowed and sat up. "I'll be right there."

She was already downstairs when she realized Hotch was right behind her.

"What did Dave say?"

"We can bring him in." She smiled, though it faltered when she saw he wasn't returning it.

"Let me come with you."

She closed her eyes. "Hotch…"

"Don't distance yourself from me." His eyes pleaded with her. "You know I need this."

"I can't," she said with a shake of her head. "Just stay here."

Hotch's jaw clenched. "Fine."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips (which he did not reciprocate) and jogged out the door.

* * *

_Relax. Just calm down. They'll call you when they have time._

_These things take time, Hotchner, you know that._

_Now this might be too much time._

_What the hell is going on?_

Hotch was surprised her hadn't worn a path through Emily's hardwood floor with this pacing. He had already memorized her kitchen and living room though. If there was ever an intruder, he would know, so that was a plus.

Emily had left nearly an hour and a half ago. And while Hotch knew better than anyone that takedowns took time and precision, he would have thought someone would have called him by now to give him an update. At this point, he would have even accepted a call from Garcia. She would ask him how he was doing, which annoyed him, but at least he could grill her for information.

Another fifteen minutes pass before something happened. He had been attempting to watch TV when he heard the sound of a key scraping in a lock.

"Emily?" he called, his heart lifting.

But it wasn't Emily that walked through the door.

"Dave?" Hotch stood up and strode over to his friend. "What's going on? How did it go? Where's Emily?" He looked behind the other man in hopes of seeing her there.

Rossi's face was grim. He sucked his lips in before ushering Hotch back into the apartment.

"Dave, you better tell me what the hell is going on, or I'll-"

"She's gone, Aaron."

The blood drained from Hotch's face. "What?"

Rossi shook his head. "Sorry, I said that wrong. She's not dead."

"Well, then, where is she?"

"It was a trap," said Rossi sadly. "They were prepared for us. They lured her out back somehow and…" He hesitated. "They took her."

**Thanks as always for reading! Let me know what you thought! I will help me update faster! =)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Once again, I apologize for the wait. This chapter gave me a hard time. I'm anticpating one more chapter besides this one to wrap it up, then I'll move on to other things. Thank you so much to everyone who has held on for this long. I appreciate it. I'm planning on fully writing all my other stories before I post them now. I've learned my lesson. =) **

**Enjoy this chapter, and please leave a review! They make my day!**

It didn't take long for Hotch to spring into action. He called the rest of the team and told them to come to Emily's apartment. Once he got off the phone he took to pacing around the apartment while Rossi tried unsuccessfully to calm him down.

"We'll get her back," he kept insisting. Hotch did not respond.

How did this happen? Just a few hours ago she had been lying in bed with him, peaceful. Safe. Now she was in the clutches of a madman who wanted nothing more than to hurt him.

It was like Foyet all over again.

"I should have been with her," he murmured to himself. Rossi looked like he was about to respond, but at that moment the team was knocking on the door.

Once they were all inside, Hotch turned to face them. "I want to know exactly what happened." His voice was quiet but fierce at the same time.

"We arrived at the factory," Rossi started. "JJ, Morgan, Reid, Emily, and I, plus some SWAT. It was a routine takedown. Emily and Morgan took the front entrance, JJ, Reid, and I went through the side."

"By the time we reached the back, they all knew we were there and had escaped for the most part," Morgan took over at this point. He looked beyond guilty. "There was a door that led outside, and it had just slammed shut, like someone ran out seconds before, so we went out it. I didn't see anything, but Prentiss thought she saw a guy running away, and before I knew it she took off. I followed, but someone grabbed me from behind. We fought, I put him in handcuffs, and then realized Emily was gone." He looked at his former boss. "I'm so sorry, Hotch."

Hotch shook his head. "I don't blame you. It's not your fault. Now is not the time to wallow in any guilt you may have." He stared at each teammate before him. "We all need to focus and find Emily before anything happens to her." His gaze faltered momentarily, but within seconds he reconstructed his stoic mask and refocused.

"The man you arrested," he continued, looking at Morgan. "What's going on with him?"

"He's back at the office, under several agents' supervision."

"I need to talk to him."

"Not a chance," Rossi cut in. He gave Hotch a pointed look. "You know you can't go in. Morgan will talk to him."

"Fine. Morgan, go do that now, report back when you've got something. Take JJ with you." Morgan didn't object to the orders, just nodded and left.

"Garcia, I want you to find everything you can on Carl Henderson's grandfather. He owned that factory; see if there are any other properties in his name or his family's. You can use Emily's laptop. Reid, construct a geographical profile for Finch. The factory, his house, the bar he played card games, everything. See what's in his comfort zone." He turned to Rossi, the only one left.

"What can I do, Aaron?" he asked simply.

"Go over Finch's profile with me. We need to rethink everything…"

* * *

The furious pounding in Emily's head was the first thing she thought about when she came to. It was a relentless pain, the kind that came with a hangover and made you want to skip work. Unfortunately, Emily knew that wasn't the cause of her pain.

She blinked slowly and tried to take in her surroundings. All she could see was darkness, and odd, menacing shapes in that darkness.

Memories of what happened rushed back to her, and she could have slapped herself for her stupidity if her hands weren't bound behind her back. She had been so desperate to catch Finch so Hotch could be cleared that she threw caution to the wind and did something incredibly reckless.

She could just imagine the team being worried, especially Hotch. He would be the worst. He would probably blame himself, which was stupid, but that was Hotch for you. Emily prayed he wouldn't do anything stupid.

A few seconds later, she began to hear faint voices coming closer. Soon it sounded like they were right outside where she was being held. Thinking fast, she closed her eyes again and let her head slump forward. She heard a door creak open, and she could feel a tiny bit of warmth on her face from the light.

"Jesus, how hard did you hit her, Scott?" a gruff voice asked.

"Harder than I thought," a meeker voice answered. "Sorry, boss."

First Voice grunted. "Doesn't matter at this point. He'll know she's missing, and he won't wait long to try and find her. You're sure this is the one you saw at the airport?"

"Definitely." Second Voice, the submissive in his partnership, seemed relieved he wasn't in trouble.

"Then we wait. Hotchner will come. I'm sure of it."

The light disappeared, and the door thudded shut. Emily opened her eyes but didn't raise her head. She was the bait. Finch (she assumed he was the first voice) was relying on Hotch to come and save her. This was his big plan.

_Oh, Hotch._

* * *

The BAU worked straight through the night, and as the sun came up Morgan and JJ returned to the apartment with cups of coffee for everyone. Garcia, having logged on to her FBI system from Emily's laptop, had been running names and addresses for hours. If she found a possible location, she gave it to Reid to check on the map, which he had pinned up to the wall. It got to the point where there were too many places where Emily could be.

Currently Hotch was standing in front of the map with Rossi, arms crossed in front of his T-shirt clad chest. He hadn't relaxed in hours. Hadn't eaten or drank anything. His mind was running in circles, trying to get something new out of old evidence. He could feel a headache growing as well.

Behind him, Morgan and JJ were trading concerned looks. They knew what this case was doing to him, and they were worried.

Rossi noticed the Styrofoam mugs of coffee and grabbed two, nodding at Morgan and JJ. He took a sip of one and shoved the second into Hotch's hand.

"Drink," he ordered. Hotch frowned but complied. He shook his head.

"We're missing something."

"You're right. But staring at the same thing for hours isn't going to help. Look at me, Hotch." When he was finally looking, Rossi continued. "You need some rest."

"I'll rest once we've found Emily."

"Listen to me, Aaron. I know how you feel about her. I know how scared you are. But believe me when I say that you're not doing anything for her by not getting a bit of sleep. You know that."

Hotch sighed and looked around the room. Morgan and JJ were still watching him closely, and they nodded, silently agreeing with Rossi. Garcia was sitting on the couch, and she let out a long yawn. Reid, rubbing his eyes, was reading through countless files. Hotch felt a pang in his chest. They all cared about her as much as he did. He couldn't help but think that this was his fault. This man was after _him_. He took Emily to get back at _him._ The team was worried and exhausted because of_ him. _

"I'm sorry," he murmured. Everyone was staring at him by now. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "I dragged you all into this when it was my fight."

"Alright, I'm going to stop you right here," Rossi interrupted. He looked at Hotch squarely in the eye. "It wasn't just your fight. We're a family. You threaten one family member, it's our fight. You threaten two family members, it's war." His gaze softened. "We're all here for you. Now go get some rest."

Hotch hesitated then nodded. "Fine." He looked at Garcia and Reid. "You two should rest as well. We'll take shifts." His gaze fell on Morgan. "Wait, that guy from the factory…"

"Can wait," Morgan said firmly. "We'll fill you in later."

Hotch didn't argue this time, just nodded and went upstairs. However, instead of going to the guest room he slipped into Emily's room and paused in the doorway. It looked exactly as she had left it, with the bed looking like she had just rolled out.

He took another step into the room and shut the door behind him. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

"I'm so sorry, Emily," he whispered.

He didn't even change his clothes, just toed off his shoes and crawled under the covers. Dragging one of the pillowed over, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent.

_I'll find you. I promise._

* * *

The next time Finch came to check on her, she didn't hear him coming, so when the door opened she was unprepared for the light. Emily let out a yelp and ducked her head. It couldn't have been very strong, but after being stuck on the dark for who knows how long it left like the sun in the middle of July.

"Ah, you're up." All Emily could see was a silhouette.

"Yep. Thought I must say, not the best sleep I've ever had."

"Witty, aren't you?" The figure that was Finch stepped closer. "Don't you have the decency to look me in the eye?"

"Several hours in the dark doesn't help eyesight," she shot back.

"And feisty too." Finch squatted down in front of her, and she could make out most of his face once her eyes adjusted. She could see the whites of his eyes, and in the center of that white space were tiny dark spots. His mouth was curved into a cruel smirk.

"Now," he continued, "what's your name?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"It didn't matter to me. All I know is you're a member of Aaron Hotchner's team, and I think you care a lot about him."

"What makes you say that?" Emily worked to keep her face blank.

"Well, for one thing, you were the one that brought him home, and I don't think no one else wanted to go, so you must've _really_ wanted to do it. And secondly, he's been staying at _your_ house."

Emily couldn't stop the look of shock that crossed her face, and Finch caught it. He grinned wickedly.

"If you knew where he was," she said in a low voice, "why didn't you strike earlier? Why kidnap me?"

"Because I need him to pay, and just killing him isn't enough." He paused. "He ruined a very important business deal. He wasn't supposed to get all that money." His eyes narrowed. "Wait. You didn't tell me your name. What is it?"

Emily glared at him. "Does it matter? I'm only a pawn here. I'm of no importance to you."

Finch made a tsking noise. "Just the opposite, really. You're the most important part of the plan. Without you, Agent Hotchner wouldn't be playing right into my hands. So," he reached out and yanked her head back by her hair, "what's your name?"

She really didn't see why it matter, so she finally said, "Emily. My name is Emily."

Satisfied, Finch let go and stood up.

"Nice to meet you, Emily." Just hearing her name coming from his lips made her skin crawl. "I'll let you know when Aaron is here." He exited the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Emily in the dark once more.

* * *

It took a while for sleep to come to Hotch, and when it did it lasted for only an hour. Still, it was more than he had planned on getting. Sitting up in Emily's bed, he stretched and headed back downstairs. The rest of the team was spread out around the apartment. Hotch's eyes landed on Garcia and Reid.

"I thought you two were going to get some rest."

"We did, sir, I swear," Garcia squeaked. "We just came downstairs a few minutes ago." Reid nodded in agreement.

Hotch was too tired to argue so he let the matter drop and turned to Morgan.

"Alright, what's going on?"

Morgan drained the last of his coffee and began. "The guy's name is Lewis Carter. He's near the bottom of Finch's group, but still knows a little bit. He's also been questioning whether or not he really wants to get mixed up with Finch, so once we realized that it was fairly easy to get him to talk."

"What did you find out?"

"They knew you were staying here."

Hotch clenched his teeth together. "How?"

Morgan shrugged. "Carter didn't know, just that once they found out he had been sent to scope out the place."

Hotch made a fist than released it. "Why didn't they do anything?"

JJ answered this time. "Finch wanted something bigger." She looked scared, probably of what Hotch's reaction would be. "He's really made at you, Hotch. Once he realized you were staying with Emily, he assumed that she… meant something to you."

"That doesn't mean anything!" Hotch hissed.

"Doesn't matter," Morgan replied simply. "Finch needed someone close to you, and in his eyes it was Emily."

Hotch felt sick. He staggered over to a chair and dropped onto it.

"I just thought she was a victim of opportunity." He hated- no, despised- calling her a victim.

"We all did," Rossi said. "Now we see he's just hell-bent on inflicting as much pain on you as possible."

"Any idea where they are?" Hotch asked desperately. "Did Carter tell you anything?"

Morgan shook his head. "He didn't know where. Apparently he didn't have that kind of security clearance."

"However," JJ broke in, "he _does _know that Finch had several locations to choose from."

Everyone was silent for a moment before Hotch ventured, "So Emily could be at a number of places." He sounded so broken.

"Well, we can narrow it down, can't we?" Garcia asked pleadingly.

"How?" Hotch countered. "What more can we do?" Everyone stared at him in shock.

"Are you… giving up?" Rossi finally asked in disbelief.

Hotch immediately looked upset. "No. I could never give up. I just don't know where to go from here."

"You're letting him win."

Before Hotch could say anything in response, Reid spoke up.

"That's it."

"What's it?" JJ asked. Everyone perked up at the thought of some kind of lead.

"Finch wants Hotch to pay for something," Reid said, talking fast. "He wants to destroy him. Rossi said it himself: Finch is determined to inflict as much pain as possible. That's why he took Prentiss."

"What's your point?" Morgan asked tiredly. "We knew this already."

"Exactly. We should have realized it by now."

"Realized what?" Hotch demanded.

"He _wants _you to find him!" Reid cried. "This won't mean anything unless you're there to see it. I think, deep down, you know where they are."

Rossi stared at Hotch. "Think, Aaron. Where would he go to make an impact?"

This whole situation reminded Hotch way too much of Foyet, but he shoved the thought away. He put himself in Finch's shoes. He wanted revenge for something Hotch did. Hotch screwed something up for him the moment he was dragged into that card game…

"The bar," he heard himself say. "Where he put on the card games."

"Are you sure?"

Hotch locked eyes with Rossi. "Positive."

Rossi gave a nod. "Then let's go."

* * *

When Rossi moved to get out of the car twenty minutes later, Hotch put up a hand to stop him.

"What are you doing?"

"This has to be me."

"We can't let you go in alone," Reid objected.

"He's expecting me. Any more people might set him off." He met Rossi's gaze. "I have to do this."

Rossi hesitated, but nodded all the same. "Be safe."

Hotch gave a nod in return and slipped out of the SUV. Rossi handed him his gun before the door shut, and Hotch tucked it into the back of his jeans. He didn't want to pull it out before he knew for sure they were there. He approached the dark bar cautiously, his eyes travelling around the street to see if anyone was watching him. By now it was very bright outside, and he saw no one.

The bar was closed, but the door was unlocked, thus proving his theory.

They were here.

He had barely reached for his gun when he heard a hard voice say, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Putting his hands up, Hotch continued inside. Standing in the doorway that led to the back room was Finch.

And he was holding a gun to Emily's head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here we are: the final chapter. I apologize for all the long waits you've had to endure. I hope this makes up for it! **

"Hello, Aaron. Oh, I'm sorry, should I call you agent?"

Hotch clenched his teeth together. Finch was watching him closely, the hand holding the gun against Emily's head never wavering. Emily's gaze was tense, but encouraging. She had faith in him.

"Does it really matter? Why waste time with names when we have other business to take care of."

Finch raised his eyebrows. "I like how you think, _Aaron._" He tilted his head to the side. "I suppose you came here to save your agent."

"Well, I didn't come here to talk about the weather," Hotch drawled. Finch's eyes narrowed.

"You want to save her? Turn yourself over to me, and I'll let her go."

"Hotch, don't-" Emily started to say, but Finch pressed the gun harder to her head.

"Don't speak," Hotch ordered. He stared at Finch. "If I do that, you won't hurt her?"

Finch offered a smile that made Hotch's skin crawl. "Scout's honor."

"Hotch-"

"Be quiet, Emily!" Hotch pleaded, giving her a look. She returned it with a defiant one that clearly said, _don't be stupid. _

"Yeah, Emily, listen to your boss," Finch chided, looking far too pleased with everything. He sent Hotch a sly look. "Though I suspect you're more than her boss."

Hotch's heart nearly stopped, but he kept his face blank.

"What do you want with me anyway? Why should my relationship with her matter?"

Finch shrugged. "It doesn't really; it'll just be more fun if you're dating. As for what I want with you, I want you to pay.

Hotch rolled his eyes, knowing it would infuriate Finch. "Yeah, I got that, thanks. But _why_?"

Finch's giddy smile slid off his face. Now he looked positively lethal. "You ruined my business deal."

"Come again?"

"That money was supposed to be _mine. _With it I was going to buy a shitload of drugs to sell to high-paying customers. You won it all when you shouldn't have. I lost out on the drugs, and they went to my rival in another city. Plus," his gaze grew more dangerous. "You lied."

"About what?"

"You're a fed."

"I never said I wasn't."

"Regardless of what you did or didn't say, you're a _fed_! You really think I can let you go on with your life knowing about what I do?"

"I suppose not," Hotch replied flatly.

"No," Finch hissed. "I can't, which brings me back to my deal. You for her."

Hotch could tell Emily was about to protest again, so he quickly said, "Fine. I accept. Now let her go."

"Keep your hands up," Finch warned. When he saw Hotch was not going to move, he lowered the gun from her head and released his grip. He leveled his gun at Hotch's chest.

"Get out of here, Emily," Hotch said evenly. Emily shook her head.

"No."

"Listen to your boyfriend."

"No. I'm not leaving, and you're not hurting him." Within seconds, she was standing between the two men.

"Stupid FBI agent," Finch growled. He took a step forward. "Move."

"No," she repeated, her voice firm. "You shoot him, you shoot me."

"I can do that."

"Prentiss, MOVE," Hotch roared, his heart racing. He wasn't going to allow another woman he loved get killed because of him.

Finch's finger was inching toward the trigger, so, thinking fast, Hotch reached out and yanked Emily behind him. A second later, a shot rang out, and a body fell to the floor.

Immediately after that the door burst open as the BAU swarmed into the room, guns drawn.

"FBI!" Morgan yelled, scanning the room with everyone else.

"Check the back," Emily said, her eyes not moving from the body in front of her. "There are more guys."

Morgan and JJ followed her instructions. Reid knelt by the body and looked for a pulse.

"He's gone."

Emily touched Hotch's shoulder. "Hotch- Aaron- it's done."

Hotch tore his gaze from Finch's lifeless body and turned to face her.

"Really?" he whispered, his eyes searching hers.

"Yeah. We can clear you now. Finch's men will crumble without him, and they can provide real evidence. It's only a matter of time."

Hotch didn't say anything, just remained standing still. Smiling a little, Emily stepped forward and slid her arms around his body. A moment passed, then Hotch relaxed in her arms.

When Hotch had pulled her out of Finch's path, she had grabbed the gun from the back of his pants and shot Finch right in the forehead. He was dead within seconds.

"It's over," Hotch murmured, wrapping his arms around Emily. "It's all over."

* * *

A few hours later, Erin Strauss was sitting in her office, going through budget reports when her door flew open. A thick case file dropped on her desk.

"What is this?" she asked irritably, looking up at David Rossi.

"Three different testimonies from Damien Finch's cronies clearing Aaron Hotchner of all charges against him."

Strauss's face twisted into a mixture of confusion, anger, and disbelief. "_What_?"

"You know Damien Finch, don't you?" Rossi continued. "Known drug dealer in DC. His second-hand man was the one who Hotch was suspected of killing. He's dead now, by the way. Finch."

Strauss's mouth opened and closed. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she gestured to the chair in front of her desk. "Explain everything."

Rossi patiently took her through everything, from Hotch running away three months ago to him coming home to Emily's abduction. The whole time, Strauss looked like she was caught between being furious and being relieved Hotch wasn't a murderer.

"So what you're telling me is," she started after Rossi was done. "Agent Hotchner got caught up in illegal card games-"

"Unwillingly," Rossi supplied.

"Yes, that, and was then framed for murder all because he screwed up Finch's business deal?"

"Yep."

"And he ran to upstate New York to remain safe?"

"And, you know, not get arrested."

"Right. And once you found him and brought him home, he stayed at Agent Prentiss's house?"

"Correct. Then she was kidnapped-"

"And Agent Hotchner saved her, yes, I understood that." She gave Rossi a suspicious look. "Why didn't you call outside authorities when she was taken?"

"We didn't have the time to explain to them why a so-called fugitive was working with us," Rossi answered dryly.

"Right." She licked her lips. "You should be fired right now."

"For what?" Rossi asked incredulously. "For saving a friend? Two, for that matter?"

"For going behind the Bureau's back to do so," she replied.

"We were investigating a case. That's exactly what it was. When we first searched the factory, we had SWAT. When we went to the bar, Hotch was the only one who went inside. We responded the way we are supposed to once we heard the gun shot. We did nothing wrong."

Strauss was silent, choosing to peruse the testimonies Rossi gave her. He tapped his leg while he waited for her to say something.

"Lucky for you, David," she said finally. "Your story matches up with these."

"Because it's the truth," he retorted, barely refraining from rolling his eyes. Strauss pursed her lips together.

"Don't push it." Her expression softened. "I'll call DCPD now and tell them to remove Agent Hotchner from the most wanted list."

A slow smile spread across Rossi's face. "So he's good?"

Strauss allowed a small smile to grace her face. "He's good."

* * *

Once they got the call from Rossi verifying Hotch's freedom, Emily drove him to Jessica's house. Hotch was restless the whole ride over. He kept jiggling his foot, which was how Emily knew he was anxious. He never made nervous movements like that.

"Hey," she called softly, getting his attention. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he insisted.

"Then why is your foot bouncing up and down?"

Hotch looked down, surprised to see she was right. He made a conscious effort to get it to stop.

"Sorry. Maybe I am nervous."

"What for? He can't wait to see you."

"I know. It's just been so long…" He looked at her. "Does he hate me?"

Emily had to stop herself from stomping on the brakes. "What?"

"Does Jack hate me for being away for so long?" His voice was quiet, frightened at the possibility.

"Jack could never hate you," she said passionately. "You're his hero. He understands you didn't _want_ to leave, that you _had _to." She held out her hand, and Hotch took it. She gave a little squeeze. "Trust me, Aaron. He loves you and always will."

Hotch swallowed and nodded, leaning back against the seat.

A few minutes later they were pulling into Jessica's driveway. The front door opened and Jess stepped out. Hotch squeezed Emily's hand and slipped out of the car.

"Does he know I'm here?" he asked his ex-sister-in-law. Jess shook her head.

"Thought you'd want to surprise him." A tear slid down her cheek. "Oh, Aaron. It's so good to see you."

Hotch hugged her, and she completely broke down in his arms. After a moment they pulled apart, and Jess gestured towards the house.

"He's in his room."

Glancing back at Emily, Hotch smiled a little and disappeared into the house. Jess turned to Emily.

"Do you want to come inside?"

Emily shook her head. "They should be alone. Can you just have him call me if he's staying her for the night?"

"Of course."

Emily thanked her and pulled out of the driveway, a smile spreading across her face as she thought about the reunion that was about to happen.

* * *

Hotch crept up the stairs, his heart pounding. He was about to see his son again after three months apart. He almost couldn't believe it.

It wasn't hard to find Jack's room, considering how it said his name on the door. It was open, and Hotch could see Jack's back was turned. He was seated on the floor, waving action figures around, imagining an intense battle for humanity.

"Give up now!" the little boy said in a fake raspy voice. He raised a black-cloaked figure higher in the air. "You can't win!"

He lifted the other figure up. "Yes, I can! No one beats me!" Jack brought the two figures together, pretending they were fighting.

"Must be a pretty awesome superhero," Hotch finally said, alerting his son of his presence. Jack dropped the toys in surprised and spun around.

"DADDY!" he screeched, lunching himself at his father. Hotch caught him and held him close.

"Hey, buddy," he croaked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"You're home!"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm home."

"For good?"

"I won't leave like that again, I promise."

Jack pulled away a bit so he could look Hotch in the eye. "Did you catch the bad guy?"

Hotch smiled and ruffled his son's hair. "Yeah, I did."

Jack grinned and ran back to his toys. He grabbed them off the floor.

"See?" he told the villain, holding the hero up high. "No one beats Daddy!"

* * *

Emily was flipping through television channels later that night when she heard a knock on her door. Getting up, she checked her peephole and let out a little chuckle.

"What are you doing here?" she started to say when she opened the door. She trailed off when a tiny body plastered itself to her legs.

"Hi, Aunt Emmy!" Jack chirped.

"Hi, Jack!" She looked up to see Hotch grinning at her.

"Hi, Aunt Emmy," he said. Emily rolled her eyes.

"Grow up. What are you two doing here?"

"We came to sleepover!" Jack cried. Emily looked at Hotch for confirmation.

"If that's alright," he said. "We should've called. I'm sorry. It's just, I've been staying here, and I didn't want to leave Jack, so-"

"Aaron," she interrupted. "It's fine. I'm happy to have you two." She bent down and picked Jack up. "Come on. Wanna watch a movie?"

"Yeah!" Jack cheered. "Can I pick?"

"Of course." She set him down in the living room and watched as he darted over to her kid-friendly DVD collection. Arms suddenly appeared around her torso as she was pulled back against Hotch's chest.

"You have kids' movies?" he asked, his amusement evident.

"We all do now," she replied, snuggling closer. "We got them for Jack and Henry, in case either of them were over our houses."

"That's very sweet. I can't picture Dave owning a Disney movie though."

Emily laughed. "You should see his collection. It's massive."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." She sobered and disentangled herself from his arms. "Do you want Jack to see us together? I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

"What kind of idea would he get? That his father is happy and in love with someone besides his mom?"

"I just don't want him to think you're forgetting her."

"He already knows I like you, Emily."

"He does?"

"Jack," Hotch called. The boy turned to face them. "How to I feel about Aunt Emmy?"

"You like her," he said simply.

"How much?"

"Like Mommy."

"And you know I still love Mommy, right?"

"Yep." When Hotch resumed his conversation with Emily, Jack turned back to the DVDs.

"How does he know that?" Emily asked in disbelief.

"He knows how I look at you. He's heard people talk." He cupped her cheek with his hand. "He understands. It's alright."

He bent his head down and kissed her. Warmth spread through Emily's body and she eagerly returned it.

"EWW," Jack moaned. "Gross!"

The two adults separated, laughing as they did so.

"Did you find a movie?" Hotch asked.

"_Toy Story_!" Jack declared, holding it up.

"Believe it or not, I've missed that movie," Hotch muttered to Emily before plopping down on the couch. Emily put the DVD in and pressed play. She hesitated for a moment, wondering where to sit. Jack was already pressed against his father's side.

"Aunt Emmy, sit next to me!" Jack patted the space next to him. She obeyed and settled down beside him. Hotch rested his arm on the back of the couch, his hand falling on Emily's shoulder. She leaned into his touch, and they shared a little smile.

He could finally stop running. He was back home, and that was all that mattered. Now they could start the lives they wanted.

Together.

**THE END**

**Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story! Please leave a little review and let me know what you thought! =)**


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